World News
US Air Force medics simulate drone attacks in Michigan exercise
Medical personnel tested defensive tactics like anti-drone netting and underground bunkers to prepare for modern threat environments.
The short version
- US Air Force and National Guard medical troops conducted simulated drone evacuation training during the Northern Strike exercise in Michigan.
- The drills incorporated lessons from the war in Ukraine, where medical facilities and evacuation routes are frequently targeted by aerial drones.
- Planners aim to prepare medical teams for high-threat environments where traditional rapid medical evacuations may not be possible.
Key facts
- Active-duty Air Force and National Guard medics participated in a drone stress inoculation exercise in Michigan during August 2026.[Business Insider]
- The training simulated a drone attack on a field hospital, utilizing defensive tools such as anti-drone netting, small-arms fire, and an uncrewed ground robot to inspect downed drones.[Business Insider]
- Medics practiced moving patients into a Cold War-era underground bunker to replicate the hardened subterranean facilities used by Ukrainian forces.[Business Insider]
- Maj. Sarah Blackthorne, an Air Force medical planner, stated that typical military medical training does not prepare personnel for persistent drone threats.[Business Insider]
- Air Force Surgeon General Lt. Gen. John DeGoes emphasized that training scenarios must adapt to a changing threat landscape where rapid evacuations cannot be guaranteed.[Business Insider]