The U.S. Army’s 101st Airborne Division has taken a major step toward soldier-driven battlefield innovation with the creation of a new lightweight, low-cost FPV-style drone designed to deliver precision bomb strikes.
Developed under the newly established Robotics and Autonomous Integration Directorate (RAID), the Attritable Battlefield Enabler 1.01 (ABE 1.01) is part of the division’s push to integrate robotics, autonomy, and artificial intelligence into air assault operations.
Thanks to the RAID initiative, soldiers at Fort Campbell have designed and built a fully American-made drone capable of carrying out lethal missions. The ABE 1.01 incorporates a specialized light-bomb release mechanism developed specifically for precision aerial strikes from small unmanned aircraft.
The system represents the next stage of the Army’s Purpose Built Attritable System (PBAS) concept — a term describing low-cost, expendable drones that can be assembled, maintained, and deployed directly by combat units. These drones are designed to provide front-line troops with first-person-view reconnaissance and strike capability without depending on complex or high-cost platforms.
“The ABE 1.01 is 100% domestically manufactured and completely assembled in-house at Fort Campbell,” said Brigadier General Travis McIntosh, Deputy Commanding General of Operations for the 101st Airborne Division. “It brings rapid surveillance and precision strike capabilities directly to our formations. This is not just progress – it’s proof that the Screaming Eagles remain at the forefront of innovation, lethality, and agility.”
According to the Army, the ABE 1.01 currently operates in a reconnaissance and surveillance role, but testing and approval for lethal operations are underway. Once cleared, the drone is expected to carry C4 explosives or lightweight guided munitions, giving infantry units a rapid, scalable strike option against enemy positions or vehicles.
By empowering soldiers to design and assemble drones themselves, the Army hopes to accelerate innovation cycles and reduce procurement costs.
With the ABE 1.01, the 101st Airborne Division is not just testing a new drone—it’s demonstrating how front-line soldiers can drive practical, effective technological change. The integration of a light-bomb release system and modular construction signals a clear intent: to give American troops a faster, cheaper, and more flexible tool for modern combat.