WASHINGTON (AP) — An Army unit based in Europe that was specializing in drone warfare has been directed to end its efforts to learn and use the battlefield technology and return to being a traditional infantry battalion, officials said Thursday.
For more nearly a year, soldiers of the 173rd Airborne Brigade have been experimenting and building their own drones, as well as participating in drills on waging unmanned warfare after Ukraine pioneered such tactics in its yearslong conflict with Russia. Last November, 600 soldiers formed a battalion that specialized in drone warfare and was set up to be used as a dedicated unit that could deploy anywhere drones were required.
Gen. Christopher LaNeve, the Army's acting chief of staff, has ordered the battalion to refocus on its core mission of being an airborne infantry unit, according to two U.S. officials who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal Army deliberations. The Wall Street Journal earlier reported the change.
The move comes amid a broader reshuffling of the Army under LaNeve, who has been its top uniformed leader since Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth suddenly ousted Gen. Randy George in April.
The decision also comes despite the Iran war showing the need for the U.S. to learn lessons about drone warfare from Ukraine. Iran has deployed its low-cost Shahed drones against ships and bases, killing U.S. troops, downing an Army helicopter and forcing the military to expend precious supplies of advanced interceptors.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in March that Ukrainian officials were helping five countries in the Middle East and Gulf region counter Iranian drone attacks, while the United States and European countries were among others that had requested support.
The overall 173rd Airborne Brigade, which is based in Italy and Germany, has been involved in drone warfare even before last November.
In May 2025, the Army highlighted that soldiers from the brigade were designing and building their own attack drones in a new “first-person view (FPV) drone lab” at Caserma Del Din, Italy.
Its commander at the time, Col. Joshua Gaspard, said in an Army media post that his soldiers “see videos of FPV drones in Ukraine all over Instagram and the news media” and they were “excited to be using these systems.”
The unit also dabbled in artificial intelligence, which Hegseth has been pushing, and designing drones resistant to jamming.
An Army statement said the specialized drone unit will wrap up its experimentation following two major exercises in Germany this month and next, then “deliver what it learned there, together with the past year’s findings, to the Army to inform force design and future experimentation.”
A third official, who, like the others, spoke on condition of anonymity to detail internal moves, noted the expectation was always that the exercises would be a “culminating event” for the drone battalion and that its future would then be reevaluated. During George’s tenure, most expected the unit to continue its work in drone warfare, the official said.
“The unit was tasked to study and absorb lessons from dedicated unmanned systems forces, including those developed by the Ukrainian armed forces, and to provide that feedback to the Army in support of the Department’s direction to accelerate U.S. military drone dominance,” the Army said in a statement.
Integrating drones into the Army's tactics was a major focus for LaNeve's predecessor. George, alongside Army Secretary Dan Driscoll, last year rolled out what they called the Army Transformation Initiative, which pushed to add “modernized (unmanned aircraft systems) into formations.”
George, who became Army chief of staff under President Joe Biden, regularly spoke about the need to accelerate development of new drone systems and get them in the hands of regular soldiers, not just specialized units.
After George was ousted without explanation in April, LaNeve took his place. He was George's deputy and an officer whose career has seen a meteoric rise under Hegseth.
LaNeve was commanding the U.S. Eighth Army in South Korea when he called in to the Commander in Chief Ball during President Donald Trump's inauguration in January 2025 and welcomed him back to office.
In March 2025, LaNeve was transferred to the Pentagon, where he became Hegseth's top military adviser. Trump then nominated LaNeve to be the Army’s vice chief of staff last October.
In a guiding memo for the Army published Wednesday, LaNeve argued that “the next war will not look like our last” and that soldiers need to “learn, innovate, and adapt faster by pairing our human ingenuity and judgment with advanced technologies like autonomy and artificial intelligence.”
However, the memo does not mention drones and closes by arguing that “there are timeless truths in war.”
“This is the Army we must be: disciplined, lethal, and relentless — an Army that closes with and destroys the enemy, leaving no doubt about the will and power of the United States,” the document says.
FILE - Gen. Christopher LaNeve, vice chief of staff of the Army, testifies at the Capitol in Washington, May 19, 2026. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File)
BURBANK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug 20, 2026--
Adeptus has completed its third acquisition since joining the Current platform in 2025, continuing a period of accelerated growth that has expanded the New Jersey-based firm's capabilities, geographic reach, and specialized advisory services across Southern California.
This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260820420432/en/
Shapiro Villalobos & Associates follows Besselman & Company and McNulty & Associates, who both joined earlier this year, helping grow Adeptus from approximately $40.5 million in revenue when it joined Current to approximately $53.6 million today, adding 12.9% year-over-year growth.
"Great firms deserve great platforms," said Steve Stagner, CEO of Current. "Adeptus already had exceptional leadership, deep client relationships, and a differentiated business model. By combining those strengths with Current's technology, operational resources, AI capabilities, global delivery model, and acquisition expertise, they've been able to accelerate growth while continuing to deliver the highly personalized service their clients expect."
Adeptus has built one of the industry's most distinctive advisory platforms by combining traditional tax, audit, and assurance services with a nationally recognized business management practice that serves high net worth individuals, entertainers, athletes, creators, and other clients whose financial lives require far more than annual tax preparation.
"We've always believed our greatest value comes from being deeply involved in our clients' lives and businesses," said Howard Krant, CEO of Adeptus. "Whether we're helping an entrepreneur scale a company or guiding someone through the unique financial challenges that come with sudden success, our role is to protect what they've built and help them make confident decisions for the future. Current has accelerated our ability to do that without changing who we are."
For clients working in some of the world's most dynamic and unpredictable industries, financial complexity often arrives faster than the infrastructure needed to manage it. Adeptus serves as a trusted advisor, helping clients navigate growth, preserve wealth, coordinate professional advisors, and build long-term financial stability.
"We were looking for a partner that shared our commitment to long-term relationships and exceptional client service," said Stuart Shapiro, Managing Partner of SVA. "Adeptus and Current provide the scale, technology, and resources to support our continued growth while allowing us to remain the trusted advisors our clients know."
With three acquisitions completed in 2026, Adeptus has become a strong example of Current's growth model, helping successful regional firms scale through strategic investment, expanded capabilities, and shared operational resources while remaining deeply rooted in their local markets.
About Shapiro Villalobos & Associates
Shapiro Villalobos & Associates is an accounting and business management firm based in Burbank, California. Built on a commitment to personalized service, the firm partners closely with clients to understand their goals and deliver practical financial guidance tailored to their unique needs. Led by partners Stuart Shapiro, CPA, and Laila Villalobos, CPA, the firm has earned a reputation for responsive service, trusted relationships, and technical expertise. As part of Adeptus, Shapiro Villalobos & Associates combines its local, client-focused approach with the expanded resources, technology, and capabilities of a growing national organization.
SVA provides tax planning and preparation, business management, accounting and bookkeeping, payroll, business consulting, retirement planning, estate and trust tax services, IRS representation, and management advisory services to individuals, closely held businesses, estates and trusts, and organizations across a variety of industries.
About Adeptus
Founded in 1986, Adeptus is a leading tax, audit, and business management firm serving individuals and businesses across the United States and globally. With eight offices in New York, New Jersey, Maryland, and California, Adeptus delivers highly personalized accounting, tax, and advisory services to artists, entertainers, athletes, entrepreneurs, executives, and growing enterprises. Known for its collaborative approach and deep industry expertise, Adeptus offers a sophisticated yet personal alternative to large global firms, helping clients navigate complexity, plan for growth, and make confident, informed decisions at every stage of their journey.
"Adeptus" is the brand name under which Adeptus Partners LLC and Adeptus Advisors Group LLC provide professional services. Adeptus Partners LLC and Adeptus Advisors Group LLC practice as an alternative practice structure in accordance with the AICPA Code of Professional Conduct and applicable laws, regulations, and professional standards. Adeptus Partners LLC is a licensed independent CPA firm that provides attest services to its clients, and Adeptus Advisors Group LLC provides tax and business consulting services to their clients. Adeptus Advisors Group LLC is not a licensed CPA firm.
About Current
Current is a national partnership of premier accounting and advisory firms. Built on a foundation of local leadership and entrepreneurial autonomy, Current empowers its partner firms with the resources, technology, and scale of a national platform. Founded by Jake Sloane and Frank Zhang, and backed by Thrive Holdings, Current delivers enterprise-level support, global service delivery, and AI-driven innovation to more than 30 high-performing firms across the country. Named one of Accounting Today’s Best Firms for Technology, Current is redefining what it means to thrive in today’s professional services landscape.
Adeptus team celebrates at their annual summer event.
