The U.S. Army's 2nd Cavalry Regiment in Bavaria reports it assembled and flew an Orqa MRM2‑10 drone armed with a 3D‑printed warhead casing dubbed a "Dragoon bomb," marking what commanders described as a likely first for the service conducted without contractor support. The unit said the casings can be adapted for different mission needs. The event reflects broader U.S. military efforts to adopt lessons from recent conflicts and to build organic drone fabrication and repair skills.
U.S. 2nd Cavalry Regiment Builds and Flies In‑House Attack Drone Armed With 3D‑Printed "Dragoon" Bombs
Credit: Getty Images
The U.S. Army's 2nd Cavalry Regiment (2CR), known as the Dragoons and based in Bavaria, Germany, says its soldiers assembled and launched an attack drone entirely in‑house, using an Orqa MRM2‑10 airframe fitted with an electronic safety-and-arming device and a 3D‑printed warhead casing the unit calls a "Dragoon bomb." The regiment released video of the operation and described the event as a likely service first: a live kinetic drone strike conducted without contractor or external unit support.
What the Unit Reported
Company Commander Capt. Michael Bapp told Stars and Stripes the mission was "a conventional Army first, potentially an Army-wide first" for a live strike planned and executed solely by soldiers in the unit. Regiment commander Col. Timothy Price said the operation demonstrated how Dragoons are "adapting what we have on-hand now to meet the threat with a capable and credible force."
About the System
The platform used was an Orqa MRM2‑10 airframe. Soldiers fitted the drone with an electronic safety-and-arming device and a 3D‑printed munition casing the unit dubbed the "Dragoon bomb." According to the regiment, the printed casings were designed to be adapted for different mission needs. The unit emphasized that the exercise focused on rapid, on‑hand innovation and on developing organic capability to build, arm and maintain unmanned systems closer to deployed forces.
(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)
Broader Context
Small commercial drones modified for combat roles drew global attention after Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine, where their low cost and availability helped offset conventional disadvantages. That conflict accelerated interest across U.S. services in improvised and locally manufactured unmanned systems.
The Army has launched a three‑week Unmanned Advanced Lethality Course to teach soldiers skills in 3D printing and drone operations and to build in‑house repair and fabrication capabilities. Other services are pursuing similar initiatives: the Marine Corps has produced a 3D‑printed drone reportedly free of China‑sourced parts, and the Navy is experimenting with containerized drone fabrication aboard carriers.
Note: This report summarizes public statements by unit commanders and media coverage. It does not provide technical instructions or operational details intended to facilitate wrongdoing.
Image credit: Getty Images / unit release
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