The United States Army deployed the one-way attack drone Hornet in Pabradė, Lithuania, last weekend, and in Bemowo Piskie, Poland, during the Sabre Strike 2026 military exercise.
The deployment in Lithuania took place last Sunday, May 3, by the 2nd Squadron, 2nd Cavalry Regiment, according to Defence Blog. In the same week, Hornet drones were also deployed at the Bemowo Piskie Training Area in Poland during Sabre Strike 2026.
Hornet drones were also deployed during training at the Grafenwoehr Training Area in Germany by the 7th Army Training Command on March 25, 2026. The use of Hornet drones comes as their presence in U.S. and European exercises continues to grow.
The Hornet is a one-way attack drone, also known as a kamikaze drone or loitering munition. It is designed to identify and strike a designated target, exploding on impact rather than returning to its operator.
The system is positioned by its developer, Perennial Autonomy, as a low-cost alternative to mortar munitions, with the advantage of greater precision and the ability to engage targets in a loitering state without exposing the firing unit to counter-battery risk.
Additionally, the Hornet features integration with artificial intelligence (AI) systems and extended operational capability, being able to strike targets at distances of over 100 km—an ability already demonstrated by Ukrainian forces in the war against Russia.
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Photo: U.S. Army. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
