Interview: Swift Response 2025: 173rd Airborne Brigade uses drones to cut risk in blood resupply missions
173rd Airborne Brigade
May 15, 2025 | 2:25
In a combat zone, every second counts—and every drop of blood can save a life. That’s why U.S. Army paratroopers from the 173rd Airborne Brigade are testing a new method to get blood to the battlefield faster and safer: drones.
During Swift Response 2025, a multinational exercise under the larger DEFENDER 25 series, the 173rd’s Charlie “Lifeline” Company, 173rd Brigade Support Battalion, integrated drone-based blood resupply into a full-scale Hospital Exercise (HOSPEX) at Pabrade Training Area, Lithuania, May 15, 2025.
“Aerial resupply of blood is pretty cool for us,” said Capt. Jessica Knoll, commander of Charlie Company. “One big initiative we’re working on is getting whole blood as far forward as possible. Having drone capability means we’re not risking soldiers driving into hostile areas just to deliver blood. A drone—not to say it’s expendable—but it’s more expendable than a soldier’s life.”
The TRV-150 drone was used to deliver simulated blood to Role 1 field care locations, bridging the gap between point of injury and higher-level medical care. This innovation reduces risk to medics while improving survivability in austere environments.
“This is our third time working with Flying Basket to drop blood using drones,” Knoll said. “We’ve tested a few methods—paratroopers jumping with blood at Saber Junction, pushing blood out of airplanes—but this drone delivery is really buying down risk. Instead of sending an entire medic crew forward, we can now send a drone with Class VIII supplies or blood.”
The exercise included U.S. Army units such as the 160th Forward Resuscitative Surgical Detachment (FRSD), 519th Field Hospital, 68th Theater Medical Command, and the 7384th Blood Detachment. NATO Role 2 Enhanced medical teams and Lithuanian Armed Forces medics joined in trauma lanes and mass casualty drills, enhancing multinational medical interoperability.
“So far, we’ve flown about 3 kilometers with the drone, but it’s capable of more,” Knoll added. “That’s just what we’ve trained for now.”
Knoll emphasized the importance of preparing for large-scale combat operations (LSCO), where forward medical capabilities are crucial.
“It’s about saving lives, reducing risk, and making sure our warfighters stay in the fight,” Knoll said.
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“Aerial resupply of blood is pretty cool for us,” said Capt. Jessica Knoll, commander of Charlie Company, 173rd Brigade Support Battalion. “One of our big initiatives is getting whole blood as far forward as possible. Having drone capability means we’re not sending soldiers toward the forward line of troops, where their FLAs or whatever vehicle they’re in could be taken out by enemy fire."
“We have a drone—not to say it’s expendable—but it’s more expendable than a soldier’s life. By dropping blood with the line medic or Role I, we can get it forward without as much risk as we’re used to.”
“We didn’t drop with a drone at Saber Junction, but we did have paratroopers jump with the blood,” she said. “We’ve also pushed blood out of airplanes on our jumps. This is our third time working with Flying Basket to drop Collins boxes or other types of containers with blood.”
“We’re going to see an LSCO fight—that’s the next fight we’re looking at. Lots of people are going to get hurt,” she said. “We need to treat at the point of injury, evacuate quickly, and save as many lives as possible to get them back into the fight. We have to keep the warfighter in the fight and get as many return-to-duties as we can.”
“Drone delivery really buys down risk,” Knoll said. “Instead of sending an entire medic crew forward, we can send the drone with Class VIII supplies or blood.”
“Being in the 173rd and being in Europe, it’s awesome that we get to work with so many partner units—not just NATO allies, but also the 160th Forward Resuscitative Surgical Detachment, 519th Field Hospital, 68th Theater Medical Command, and the 7384th Blood Detachment,” she said.
“So far, we’ve been able to fly it about 3 kilometers,” she said. “It can go farther than that, but it’s just not something we’ve trained yet.”
The 173rd Airborne Brigade is the U.S. Army's Contingency Response Force in Europe, providing rapidly deployable forces to the United States European, African, and Central Command areas of responsibility. Forward deployed across Italy and Germany, the brigade routinely trains alongside NATO allies and partners to build partnerships and strengthen the alliance.
(U.S. Army video by Capt. Jennifer French)
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