The 173rd Airborne Brigade’s Bayonet Innovation Team (BIT) will represent the U.S. Army during the inaugural LANDEURO Symposium and Exposition, scheduled for July 16–17 in Wiesbaden, Germany.
This event, hosted by the Association of the U.S. Army (AUSA), stands as the premier international symposium dedicated to land forces in Europe.
Senior military leaders from the U.S., Ukraine, and various European partners will convene to discuss emerging threats, regional cooperation, and transformative warfighting capabilities.
The 2025 symposium’s theme—“Transforming with Allies for the Future Fight”—highlights a collective commitment to preparing for future battlefields.
A central focus of the BIT’s participation will be their collaborative efforts with units including the 2nd Cavalry Regiment (2CR) and the 56th Artillery Command (56th Fires).
The BIT has notably established an in-house drone lab, which is capable of quickly producing low-cost unmanned aerial systems tailored to meet specific mission needs.
This initiative enhances expeditionary autonomy and fosters scalable innovation at the unit level.
In the spirit of collaboration, the innovation teams from the BIT, 2CR, and 56th Fires regularly exchange codes and best practices, consulting with around 100 external entities to advance innovation.
According to U.S. Army 1st Lt. Francesco La Torre, the BIT director of robotics and autonomous systems, continuous innovation is crucial for survival in a rapidly changing security landscape.
La Torre stated, “The more we can do on our own, from procurement to manufacturing, the more autonomous we can be on the battlefield.”
This year alone, the BIT has achieved multiple significant milestones.
They conducted their first live-fire exercise using first-person-view drones targeting moving objects, executed their inaugural live-munition drop with an M67 fragmentation grenade, and successfully created a dedicated drone production lab in Vicenza.
Colonel Mark E. Bush, commander of the 173rd Airborne Brigade, will also attend the symposium, emphasizing the critical role of the BIT’s initiatives.
He stated, “The BIT’s efforts play a critical role in our brigade’s overarching endeavor to support the Army’s commitment to agile adaptation.”
Colonel Bush highlighted that the brigade’s paratroopers continually demonstrate exemplary innovation and readiness within a complex and rapidly evolving security environment.
The opening remarks for LANDEURO 2025 will be delivered by U.S. Army Gen. Christopher T. Donahue, the commanding general of U.S. Army Europe and Africa.
The symposium will feature over 80 exhibits and panels that will address multi-domain operations, lessons learned from Ukraine, and the evolving role of land forces across Europe.
Additionally, Ukraine’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Digital Transformation, Mykhailo Fedorov, will provide insights on battlefield innovation and digital modernization efforts.
The 173rd’s BIT aligns with the Army Transformation Initiative and represents a growing network of unit-based innovation organizations that rapidly develop and advance technology in response to dynamic battlefield demands.
LANDEURO serves as a vital platform for sharing best practices and fostering collaboration among allied forces.
About the 173rd Airborne Brigade:
The 173rd Airborne Brigade acts as the U.S. Army’s Contingency Response Force in Europe, offering quickly deployable forces across the United States European, Africa, and Central Command areas of responsibility.
Stationed in Italy and Germany, the brigade routinely trains with NATO allies and partners to strengthen partnerships and enhance collective security.
About SETAF-AF:
The U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF) prepares Army forces for crisis response, enables strategic competition, and bolsters partnerships to achieve U.S. Army Europe and Africa and U.S. Africa Command campaign objectives.
Stay connected with SETAF-AF: Follow them on Facebook, X, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn & DVIDS.
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