FORT RILEY, Kan. -Soldiers and families from the 1stInfantry Division Combat Aviation Brigade gathered during a ceremony to mark the activation of Foxtrot Troop, 1st Attack Battalion, 1st Combat Aviation Brigade on January 23, 2026.
The Tactical Unmanned Aircraft System – Launched Effects (TUAS-LE) unit introduces advanced technology to the 1st Infantry Division, signifying a new chapter in Army aviation.
“Standing up a new unit is a significant moment,” said Army Cpt. Paul Shorkey-Chacon, company commander. “We’re here to activate a Troop that will push the Army forward. But as we look forward, we also need to acknowledge the legacy we now inherit. We are filling the role once held by 1-6 Air Cavalry Squadron and their Apache helicopters. They set a standard of excellence, and it’s our job to honor their history by building a future they’d be proud of.”
The activation of Foxtrot Troop represents the cutting edge of Manned-Unmanned Teaming (MUM-T), effectively extending the eyes and ears of Apache pilots, allowing them to detect, identify and engage threats long before they enter the enemy’s weapons engagement zone.
“As part of a sweeping modernization effort, we are retooling our formations to confront and defeat a contemporary peer threat,” said Army Col. Eric Megerdoomian,1st Combat Aviation Brigade commander. "This requires us to be more agile, more lethal and more resilient than ever before.”
The Soldiers of Foxtrot Troop are tasked with a mission that did not exist a decade ago. They will operate systems designed not just for surveillance, but the ability to confuse, disable and destroy adversary defenses autonomously or under the control of aviation crews.
Shorkey-Chacon ended his ceremonial speech with a message of resolve and mission focus.
“Wherever this Division goes, from Europe to the Middle East, to the Americas, I am proud that we are establishing this unit to get ahead of the threats we will face.”