Ground drones in infantry operations: Belgian battalion Bvr/5 Li tests Gnom and Unl in Leopoldsburg

The Belgian Army has tested in Leopoldsburg how ground drones can be integrated directly into infantry operations. Unmanned ground systems (unmanned ground vehicles, UGV) were trialled by the Bataljon Bevrijding – 5de Linie battalion (Bvr/5 Li). Both exercises were shaped by realistic conditions. They are part of an approach through which the infantry intends to develop its operating procedures step by step by gradually integrating such systems.

Bvr/5 Li did not design separate scenarios for this. Instead, the UGVs were included in exercises that had been planned anyway – the aim was to test their use as close to operational reality as possible. There were two goals behind this: first, to assess in which specific situations unmanned systems can reinforce existing procedures. Second, they were to support infantry missions and reduce the direct risk to soldiers.

The focus was on two different systems. The Gnom was used in the first exercise, the Unl system in the second. Both platforms had been made available to Belgian Defence for an operational evaluation. The aim was to examine in detail how they can be integrated at tactical level – decisions on any later procurement were explicitly not to be anticipated.

Two ground drones, two profiles

The compact Gnom was developed for tasks in which speed and precision matter in close proximity to the enemy. It is intended for use before or during particularly exposed phases. In confined environments it can engage or reconnoitre at a distance, thereby also reducing the risk to the deployed forces.

The Unl system evaluated in the second exercise follows a complementary approach. Its design prioritises mobility and endurance, which makes it particularly suitable for longer missions in which it supports the unit's movements and tasks. It can relieve infantry forces in tasks such as reconnaissance or support while maintaining the continuity of the tactical approach.

Exchange of experience with European partners

The tests are not only significant operationally. According to the Belgian armed forces, they are also “part of enhanced European military cooperation”. The aim of this cooperation is to share experience, strengthen interoperability and jointly develop land-based capabilities further.

From the battalion's perspective, the exercises are primarily a learning phase and a contribution to the further development of operational doctrine. The lessons learned are to feed into a broader analysis: it concerns the gradual integration of unmanned systems into the infantry and is to assess the potential of these systems to support units in a constantly changing operational environment.