Military modernization is necessary as today’s battlefield continues to evolve, but improving mission readiness means more than fielding new technology. When the warfighter is under pressure in the field, mastery of a platform gained in a comprehensive training environment can save lives in combat.

Redwire is dedicated not only to designing flexible and modular Uncrewed Aircraft Systems (UAS) but also to providing high-quality, immersive training that equips UAS operators with the skills needed for mission success – even under the most challenging circumstances.

Targeted Training for U.S. Army Aviation Center of Excellence 

Located at Fort Rucker in Alabama, the U.S. Army Aviation Center of Excellence (USAACE) serves as both the headquarters for the Army’s Aviation Branch and its training and development center. With a mission to generate “highly trained, disciplined, and fit aviation soldiers; develop expert leaders of combined arms maneuver; drive changes to fight and win in multi-domain operations; and impart the aviation warfighter culture across the total Aviation Force,” USAACE trains today’s aviation leaders while shaping the Army’s aviation force of tomorrow.

The Redwire Stalker UAS was identified for acquisition by USAACE in late 2025, and Redwire’s Flight Operations team was tasked with providing soldiers from both Fort Rutger and Fort Huachuca with a training program targeted to meet the operational challenges they will face in the field. This supports the Army’s broader initiative to embed UAS capabilities at the individual soldier level while advancing the development of standardized training for uncrewed systems.

“Our training program is designed to be adaptable, which allows us to address each unique operational need that our UAS pilots might face in the field,” says Grace Burgess, Flight Operations Training Evaluation Manager at Redwire.

Another crucial distinction of Redwire’s program centers on “train the trainer” courses that equip the Army’s senior subject matter experts to train their own soldiers in advanced UAS operations.

“Because our training program is tailored to the exact aircraft and mission profile, soldiers reach operational proficiency more quickly, leading to faster readiness, safer operations, more effective deployments, and better stewardship of the customer’s time and resources,” Grace continues. “This ensures the warfighter is trained for real-world operations on the UAS system deployed in missions worldwide.”

Strengthening Europe by Integrating Feedback from Ukraine

The Redwire Penguin UAS has been a fixture in Ukraine’s defense against Russia since 2022. To date, Redwire has delivered more than 200 combat proven Penguin aircraft to the Ukraine Armed Forces for deployment in one of the world’s most challenging contested environments, where advanced drone technology is changing the very nature of modern warfare.

And equipping soldiers in battle starts with a robust and immersive training program. Redwire Flight Operations based in Riga, Latvia has provided the Ukrainian Armed Forces with a training program that addresses the most pressing challenges UAS operators face in real-world situations, while partnering with the soldiers to deliver actionable feedback that helps to guide our engineering teams in the ongoing innovations that keep our systems on the cutting edge of combat proven technology.

“Our team is proud to train the forces defending Ukraine’s autonomy,” says Edgars Vaivars, Director of Flight Operations at Redwire’s offices in Europe. “The insights gained from this contested and ever-evolving battlespace creates a rapid feedback loop that is invaluable. Not only do our ongoing interactions with Ukrainian warfighters allow us to deliver resilient, up-to-date solutions to our ally’s most urgent challenges, but we have the unique opportunity to deliver training that equips Ukraine’s military to deploy our Penguin UAS for maximum survivability and mission success.”

Closing Learning Gaps to Prepare for the Field

Redwire’s lean and flexible Flight Operations teams in the U.S. and Europe lead all UAS trainings and are adept at responding to the customer’s specific circumstances, so trainees never receive a “one-size-fits-all” approach. In 2025 alone, Redwire delivered personalized UAS training for 23 customer entities across seven countries. In 2026, the capacity for customer training is expected to increase.

With UAS courses designed for trainees with any background and experience level, Redwire instructors prepare students for success as they certify as operators for multiple specific Stalker and Penguin configurations.  Equipping students with the essential skills and knowledge required to deploy the systems safely and effectively translates to faster responses and greater confidence in mission deployments.

In the U.S., soldiers recently put their Stalker training into action at multiple Army exercises supported by Redwire, including the Army Expeditionary Warrior Experiment (AEWE), Joint Pacific Multinational Readiness Center (JPMRC), and the U.S. Army’s Ivy Sting series.

In addition to providing training on our combat-proven uncrewed systems, the Flight Operations team also provides courses on maritime operations, catapult launched UAS, gimbal ISR payload training, and software integration.  “All of our instructors are subject matter experts on our products, and we can deliver training either on-site at the customer’s location or at our own in-house training facilities,” Grace explains. “No matter where the training is held, we’re committed to closing learning gaps by being in the field with the customer so we can hear their questions firsthand and respond directly with workable solutions.”

Dedicated Training Facilities in Eastern Europe and Alabama’s Defense Tech Hub

Although the Flight Operations team can deliver equipment and training wherever the customer needs it, Redwire’s dedicated training facilities in both the U.S. and Europe provide customers with multiple training assets in convenient locations.

Along with an on-site team of subject matter experts, Redwire’s facility in Huntsville, Alabama, offers dedicated classrooms, a simulator training area with individual monitors and Hardware-in-the-Loop simulators, an equipment cage with maintenance benches, and access to our flight-testing area at Courtland Airport for conducting flight exercises.

In Europe, multiple training facilities in Latvia and Ukraine provide customers with assets such as dedicated classrooms, equipment storage, and the ability to fly up to five aircraft at a time. Redwire’s Flight Operations teams in Europe can train forces on Penguin, Stalker, and Octopus gimbal camera payload solutions, enabling UAS operators to master both catapult-launched flights and vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) operations.

A resilient force is one that trains with intent, focusing on consistency between the learning environment and the battlefield. The adaptability and customer-driven design of Redwire’s training programs equips the warfighter not with abstract proficiencies, but with concrete UAS skills that are highly relevant to the real-world missions soldiers face in today’s battlefield.

When the warfighter is empowered to quickly reach operational proficiency, the transition to in-field system deployment is seamless, resulting in faster engagement readiness to help facilitate both current in-field needs and modernization priorities that ensure drone dominance and a resilient tactical edge.

Discover how Redwire is reliably delivering combat-proven multi-mission solutions in contested environments worldwide.