NOVEMBER 25, 2025 – Army aviation soldiers began training with the VXE30 Stalker uncrewed aircraft system at Fort Rucker, Alabama, Nov. 18, in preparation for equipment fielding next month.
This system incorporates observations from the modern battlefield, including reduced noise and visual signature, vertical takeoff capability and cost-saving munitions technology — underscoring the Army’s push to integrate cutting-edge systems into training at Fort Rucker and Fort Huachuca, Arizona.
Army Maj. Wolf Amacker, UAS and Tactics Branch chief of the Army Aviation Center of Excellence’s Training and Doctrine Directorate, said the event represented a milestone in training the Army’s layered reconnaissance strategy.
“This is the first time in years that we will be utilizing a Group 2, almost Group 3 size UAS in support of an Army course at Fort Rucker, since before the Shadow was really employed,” Amacker said.
The War Department categorizes UAS into Groups 1 through 5 based on weight, normal operating altitude and speed. Group 1 UAS are small, weighing 20 pounds or less, and operate below 1,200 feet above ground level at speeds of up to 100 knots. Group 2 UAS have a maximum takeoff weight between 21 and 55 pounds, operate below 3,500 feet above ground level and fly at speeds under 250 knots. Group 3 UAS, which included the Army’s RQ‑7B Shadow, weigh between 56 and 320 pounds at takeoff, operate up to 18,000 feet above mean sea level and fly at speeds under 250 knots.
The Stalker aircraft is built on a modular open systems approach and can adapt to new sensors, payloads and technologies to support changing operational needs.
Amacker noted that the Army Aviation Center of Excellence’s 1st Aviation Brigade identified the Stalker during the recent UAS summit. It moved quickly to acquire the system for training, ensuring students gain hands‑on experience with the latest reconnaissance technology.
Army Maj. Rachel Martin, director of the Air Cavalry Leaders Course and Unmanned Advanced Lethality Course, emphasized the Stalker’s flexibility compared to legacy systems.
“This system can take off and land vertically like a quadcopter, then transition to forward flight where it goes deadly silent,” Martin said. “Its reduced visual and acoustic signature makes striking a target at 300 feet very likely, something that wasn’t possible with louder systems, like the Shadow.”
The system integrates into the Army’s Common Lethality Integration Kit, allowing soldiers to select warheads at the user level and employ both newly designed payloads and existing munitions, such as 81 mm mortars.
“What’s great about this is that it’s modular and fits on multiple [uncrewed aircraft systems],” Martin said. “It’s a cheaper solution that can be rapidly reproduced.”
Martin noted the dramatic cost difference compared to traditional systems.
“Instead of a Hellfire missile costing $100,000 to $150,000 per round, this solution costs about $800,” she said. “That disparity is significant, and it reflects lessons from the Ukrainian fight, where cheaper solutions are proving decisive.”
Amacker added that the Army is exploring ways to print training rounds in‑house, further expanding opportunities for instruction while reducing reliance on traditional procurement systems.
“This is the Army thinking outside the box,” Martin said. “We’re leveraging commercial technology to meet immediate needs in a faster, more affordable way.”
Training with the Stalker is scheduled to begin in December, ensuring instructors can incorporate the system into courses and prepare soldiers to employ it in tactical missions at the battalion and brigade levels.
By Leslie Herlick
Army Aviation Center of Excellence