Soldiers from the U.S. Army V Corps and allied forces are testing counter-drone technologies during Project Flytrap at the Pabradė Training Area in Lithuania. The exercise marks the first troop-level field test of mounted counter-unmanned aerial system capabilities on Stryker platforms in a contested environment.
U.S. infantrymen from the 2nd Squadron, 2nd Cavalry Regiment conducted force-on-force operations against British paratroopers from the U.K. Parachute Regiment on May 7. The exercise focuses on integrating counter-UAS systems, reconnaissance drones, electronic jammers and artificial intelligence-enabled command-and-control technologies.
Brendan Printup, commander of Echo Troop, 2nd Squadron, 2nd Cavalry Regiment, said the exercise represents a major shift in infantry operations. “We are the ones proofing the concept,” Printup said.
“This is the first time at the troop level that we are going to be testing a mounted Stryker platform fighting the counter-UAS fight,” he added. “These Eagle Troop Soldiers — I’m talking about the E-5 sergeants and below — this is their fight.”
According to the U.S. Army, the technologies under evaluation include systems that until recently existed mainly in laboratory environments or defense industry proposals. During the exercise, the systems are being integrated directly into combat vehicles and frontline positions.
The equipment being tested includes reconnaissance drones, first-person-view strike systems and AI-enabled command platforms. Army officials said the technologies are intended to help forces move faster, make decisions more quickly and operate more effectively across multiple domains.
John B. Mountford, deputy commanding general for readiness of V Corps, linked the exercise to NATO’s broader deterrence efforts in Eastern Europe. “More than 8,000 troops from eight nations are operationalizing the Eastern Flank Deterrence Initiative,” Mountford said.
“We are turning NATO’s increased investment into real warfighting capability here in Lithuania,” he added. “Project Flytrap partners with industry to field counter-drone technology now, protecting Soldiers at the speed of relevance, from the Baltics to the High North.”
Project Flytrap is running from April 27 through May 31, 2026, as part of a wider series of multinational exercises. These include Sword26, Saber Strike, Immediate Response and Swift Response.
The U.S. Army said the project is designed to transform battlefield experimentation into operational capability.