The US Army completed a nighttime ammunition resupply drill using an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) during a live-fire exercise in Hawaii.
A G1 Gabriel vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) platform designed by California-based firm Soaring was able to deliver 2,400 rounds of 7.62-millimeter ammunition to an infantry platoon participating in the drill.
The drone needed just three flights spanning 16 minutes to successfully drop supplies to soldiers on the island of Oahu.
Apart from machine gun ammo, the UAV was also used to supply food to the 25th Infantry Division.
“Safe and expedient resupply capabilities are critical to mission success, especially in the dynamic environments faced by our service members,” Soaring chief executive Daniel Trunfio said.
“Our innovative G1 UAS has successfully proven it is capable of addressing both elements to deliver advantage at the tactical edge.”
‘Lesser Risk’
A multi-purpose platform, the G1 Gabriel is a multi-rotor type UAV designed to provide logistics services in contested environments.
Its participation in the live-fire exercise reportedly demonstrated its reliability, adaptability, and readiness in varying battlefield conditions.
According to Soaring, utilizing the G1 rather than ground-based systems enables faster resupply missions and reduces the risk of logistics-related casualties.
US Army commander Lieutenant Colonel Pete Walther said conventional resupply strategies will likely fail in modern warfare, as seen in Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine.
“There is a real need for innovative low-risk resupply solutions critical to the success of the operation,” he stressed.