In a significant leap forward for battlefield technology, U.S. Army Infantry Drone Operators have successfully tested a new warhead designed to be delivered by an unmanned aerial system (UAS).
The live-fire demonstration of the Bunker Rupture and Kinetic Explosive Round (BRAKER), which took place at a Redstone Arsenal in Alabama on March 26, comes only weeks after the initial design and rapid prototyping of the system, showcasing the Army’s accelerated approach to innovation in the face of evolving threats.
The Army continuously transforms by using the latest technologies for warfighting advantage, and ensures that the force is lethal, modern and ready. The development of this air-delivered munition directly supports that mission as well as two senior leader priorities in Readiness and Transformation.
The BRAKER project, led by a team from the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command (DEVCOM) Armaments Center and Project Manager Close Combat Systems (PM CCS), a project office under the U.S. Army Capability Program Executive Ammunition and Energetics (CPE A&E), aimed to create a lightweight, powerful, and lethal warhead that could be deployed from a small, agile drone.
“Our Picatinny team went from concept to live-fire in two weeks,” said Col. Vincent Morris, PM CCS. “BRAKER proves our ability to rapidly develop and safely deliver devastating effects from small unmanned aircraft systems (sUAS). We are now creating the architecture with Picatinny Common Lethality Integration Kit (CLIK) and the small universal payload interface (sUPI) for industry to scale this critical warfighter advantage.”
The Picatinny CLIK is a safe and effective method for integrating lethal payloads with UAS platforms, designed and developed by DEVCOM Armaments Center engineers.
The rapid development-to-testing timeline of BRAKER was made possible by the Army’s emphasis on additive manufacturing, also known as 3D printing.
The BRAKER warhead with additively manufactured housing
Beginning in early March, Armaments Center engineers began design, explosive pressing, housing manufacture, and integration of the warhead to be used on a low-cost and expendable one-way attack drone.
Shortly thereafter, transfer and compatibility tests were conducted at Picatinny and approximately a dozen warheads were assembled, with one being tested on a makeshift bunker on one of the installation’s test ranges.
Surrogate bunker testing at Picatinny Arsenal test range
After proving worthiness and validating effectiveness, the prototype warheads departed Picatinny for Redstone where a live demonstration was conducted for U.S. Army leadership.
The successful detonation of the device deployed on a drone on a designated target demonstrates a new and potent capability for the modern warfighter and illustrates how engineers can quickly design, fabricate, and integrate hardware to meet urgent and compelling needs.
“Rapid demonstrations of overwhelming lethality such as BRAKER are attributed to years of continued technology investments and the organic core technical competencies and facilities resident at the DEVCOM Armaments Center,”
said Anthony Sebasto, Executive Director, Munitions Engineering and Technology Center.
Source: U.S. Army
Why This Matters
The successful test of the BRAKER system matters because it highlights a major shift in how modern militaries—particularly the U.S. Army—develop and deploy battlefield capabilities. First, it demonstrates the growing importance of small, low-cost drones as precision strike platforms. By pairing unmanned aerial systems with bunker-penetrating warheads, forces can now target hardened positions without risking personnel or relying on expensive, large-scale weapons systems.
Second, the speed of development is arguably as important as the technology itself. Moving from concept to live-fire testing in just two weeks signals a transformation in defense innovation cycles. Facilities like Redstone Arsenal are becoming hubs not just for testing, but for rapid iteration, enabled by tools like additive manufacturing. This compresses the timeline between identifying a threat and fielding a response—critical in conflicts where adversaries adapt quickly.
Third, BRAKER reflects a broader trend toward modular, scalable warfare. Systems like CLIK and sUPI suggest a future where payloads can be easily swapped across platforms, allowing rapid customization for different missions.
Overall, this development underscores a shift toward faster, cheaper, and more adaptable lethality—potentially reshaping tactical doctrine and raising new strategic and ethical considerations about the proliferation of drone-based strike capabilities.