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US Military Fits HMMWVs and HEMTT Trucks With Ukraine-Style Anti-Drone Cages
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US military forces are testing vehicle modifications based on lessons from Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, outfitting HMMWV utility vehicles and Heavy Expanded Mobility Tactical Trucks (HEMTT) with anti-drone mesh cages, according to Defense Express on September 16.
During the Exercise Thunderstruck 3.0 military maneuvers, troops rehearsed convoy defense and casualty evacuation while operating under simulated aerial threats from uncrewed aerial systems.
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Footage released from the event highlights HMMWV platforms fitted with full metal mesh enclosures reaching down toward the wheel lines, while heavy HEMTT logistics trucks featured protective overhead armor installed over their armored cabs to shield crews from drone strikes.
While these protective screens do not offer full defense against larger middle-strike systems, military observers note that added overhead and side mesh significantly lowers the risk of catastrophic hits from small drones.
Similar protective netting and metal frames were previously deployed by Ukrainian forces, including units like the 12th Special Forces Brigade Azov, to protect light transport and supply vehicles operating near active combat zones.
As reported by Defense Express, the integration of these field adaptations into US drills underscores a growing effort among NATO allies to absorb real-time technological lessons from Ukraine to increase troop survivability on modern battlefields.
Previously, the US military integrated Ukrainian drone defense technology at Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia.
Ukrainian personnel arrived at the facility to train American service members on the Sky Map software, a command-and-control platform used to identify threats like Iranian-designed Shahed models and coordinate interceptor drones.
The deployment aimed to address long-standing gaps in US air defense as the Pentagon increased spending to counter growing low-cost aerial threats.
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