Fiber-Optic Drones Appear at US Navy’s Silent Swarm Exercise in Michigan

Jamming-resistant fiber-optic drones were spotted during the US Navy’s Silent Swarm electronic warfare exercise in Michigan, an event bringing together military units and defense companies to test future battlefield technologies. According to Business Insider, the drones were identified by their distinctive cable spools, a feature that gives them immunity to electronic jamming—a capability that has made them increasingly prominent in the Ukraine war.

Fiber-Optic Drones Offer Jamming Immunity

Unlike conventional drones that rely on radio frequency links, fiber-optic drones connect directly to an operator via a hard-wired tether, allowing continuous control and uninterrupted video feeds. Russia first deployed the technology to overcome electronic jamming on the battlefield, which can sever signals and disable standard UAV systems. Both Russian and Ukrainian forces now use them extensively, with units reporting discarded spools of cable across contested ground.

Operationally, these drones can strike targets at ranges of more than 40 kilometers (25 miles), and defense firms are already working to extend that distance. This range, combined with jamming resistance, makes them difficult to counter. The most practical battlefield method remains kinetic—small arms fire, shotguns, or hoping cables snag on natural obstacles such as trees.

Silent Swarm: Testing Next-Gen Battlefield Systems

The Navy-led exercise, held last month on Michigan’s Thunder Bay shoreline, included around 50 defense companies alongside the Navy, the Michigan National Guard, and other participants. The objective was to run swarm drills of uncrewed aerial and surface systems while assessing electronic warfare tactics, both offensive and defensive.

“The hypothesis for Silent Swarm is to identify those systems that can outmatch and have an impact in the most challenging environments,” said Rob Gamburg, project lead for the exercise at Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane Division, in a Guard press release.

In photos posted by the Michigan National Guard, one quadcopter can be clearly seen with a spool mounted below, while another image shows a similar drone beside an Xbox-style controller. Though the military has not confirmed them as fiber-optic drones, the design strongly suggests their use.

Lessons From Ukraine Drive U.S. Interest

The U.S. military has acknowledged that it lags behind adversaries in adapting to counter-drone and drone employment strategies. In Ukraine, fiber-optic craft have proved resilient, providing forces reliable eyes over the battlefield despite heavy electronic warfare activity. Both sides have rapidly scaled deployment, underscoring the need for NATO militaries to catch up.

The U.S. Army has begun crash courses for soldiers on fielding and countering small drones, while the Marine Corps has created specialized teams to integrate lessons learned from Ukraine. Across the Department of Defense, efforts are accelerating to integrate small UAVs into units and strengthen counter-drone defenses ahead of future large-scale conflicts.

DroneXL’s Take

The appearance of fiber-optic drones at Silent Swarm suggests the Pentagon is testing platforms born from hard battlefield lessons in Ukraine, where electronic warfare dominates. Their immunity to jamming presents both an opportunity and a problem: they ensure persistent battlefield awareness but also introduce new logistical constraints, such as cable management and vulnerability to physical damage.

If adversaries can deploy these systems widely, the U.S. will need creative answers—are kinetic defenses like shotguns realistic, or will new sensor-fusion counter-drone networks be required? Just as importantly, can fiber-optic systems remain practical for U.S. troops on the move, or will they remain a niche tool?

What do you think—will fiber-optic drones become a standard part of U.S. drone operations, or are they a stopgap until more advanced EW-resistant communications emerge? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

Photos courtesy of US Air National Guard / 1st. Lt. E. Wahlstrom