INSIDE the 'Hunter Killer Platoon' of the 101st Airborne Division

Soldiers Assigned to the new Multi-Functional Reconnaissance Company, 2nd Brigade Combat Team (Strike), 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) take part in Operation Lethal Eagle for their first large scale field training exercise at Fort Campbell, Ky., April 27, 2024.
Strike Brigade is one of the Army’s first units to prototype the mobile brigade combat team (MBCT) concept. The MBCT will be lighter and more lethal while providing increased mobility to close combat forces. The Army is undertaking its most significant transformation in more than 40 years to dominate in large-scale combat operations in multidomain environments. Through Continuous Transformation, the Army will maintain dominance against rapidly evolving and emerging threats in an era of dynamic change in the character of war.
Interviewees: 1st Lt. Andrew Blomquist, Hunter Killer Platoon Leader; Sgt. David Warren, Hunter Killer Platoon Squad Leader; Capt. Charles O'Hagan, Multi-Functional Reconnaissance Company Commander.
#usa #army #airborne

[@dingdong467]

To the man at 30 seconds: I hope you were just moving that ruck with that assault pack on the side and not patrolling like that. Watching that made my back hurt.

[@joelwerre]

First thing I thought too.

[@Roaming_Nate]

VA: Back pain is Not service related

[@dingdong467]

@Roaming_Nate that's related to piss poor training.

[@Gman12959]

@@dingdong467yeah United States Army doesn’t produce warriors until you go to regiment or SFAS. Marines make warriors at boot camp

[@dingdong467]

@Gman12959 wow, you are uneducated. Which was my first guess, but ok, buddy.

[@philiproseel3506]

Nice to see the Army not being afraid to use terms like “Hunter Killer” again. Call it what it is.

[@benm5913]

Looking for new recruits. Turns out concentrating on gender identity was a losing move.

[@philiproseel3506]

@@benm5913 They can’t have me, been there done that.

[@theparker234]

@@benm5913 the losing move is a national pharmacy database (mhs geniuse ) that disqualifies potential recruits at a much higher rate. but the shoe sise iq people like you that would probably have never served anyways get to blame it “woke”. you are the enemy

[@craykard8325]

@@benm5913 I mean who could have seen that coming right?

[@JF-gp2bl]

Hunter Killer tasks never went by a different name. Glad you're done listening to sources that say otherwise.

[@69Dontay69]

Did they mention, “hunt, sense, kill for the brigade”.

[@smokeymoe842]

5:16

[@user-bf1me5pz6x]

I served with the 101st during early GWOT as an infantryman. One of the most bad ass infantry companies I seen was the 2 companies the 101st aviation regiment had. 4-101 Pathfinders Airborne Rangers. They're not apart of Ranger regiment, they're genesis was really during Vietnam War. When they formed LRRPS, now they're called LRSD. Long Range Surveillance Detachment. Those were some of the baddest dudes I served with in the conventional Army.

[@NUCL3ARTAC0S]

The LRSD and Pathfinder units all got deactivated years ago. The Brigade MFRC's are the highest echelon of recon asset in the division now.

[@WiseguyThreeOne]

@@NUCL3ARTAC0S Highest level of ground recon asset. The whole "if we can't see it with a UAV, it doesn't exist" school of thought that higher HQs took during the GWOT wasn't going to last, and we lost three decades of skill continuity.

[@jyy9624]

Dangerous work

[@southernSCkid]

The first ever LRRP was from the 101st , you are correct about that , but not an aviation regiment ? It was a Recon platoon called Tiger Force , they are still active to this day and were the genesis of All LRRP’s they’re the reconnaissance and snipers for 1-327 .

[@user-bf1me5pz6x]

@NUCL3ARTAC0S define years ago ? Cause in 2012 they was in Afghanistan. 2 of the guys I served with personally were killed. They been asset of the 101st since WW2, they may have been deactivated after ww2 for a few years ? But they have been a active unit fron early Vietnam through present. Like I said I served with them in the mid 2000s. So once again you don't know what your saying . You a Army veteran?

[@btlnh2001]

A drone filming a drone, these guys are legends!

[@antikoerper256]

Thanks for the service, much love and respect from your humble eastern european NATO ally - Bulgaria

[@FlatRangeOperator]

zwato E zwato raz ve lano wano

[@bradcolby1]

I’m American, I have a great Bulgarian friend here.We love you all too 🇧🇬🤝🇺🇸

[@earlgeorge7573]

thank you for your service

[@Mr88M4]

Good Training Soldiers!!!!

[@matt2317]

I love seeing the lessons from contemporary conflicts being applied doctrinally.

[@jasonkalani3360]

That sand table is a thing of beauty....

[@jasonneumann1678]

you can thank the lower enlisted for building it for the lieutenant lol

[@Somerandomblackdud3]

I was gonna make a joke but then I saw the most bad ass colonel a soldier could ask for. Id follow that man into battle anytime. He was a great commander.

[@JohnDoe14783]

Looks like a fun platoon to be apart of. I miss active duty

[@vicentee2687]

I been out for awhile but it looks like recon platoon to me

[@craykard8325]

So Pretty much - Mike Force Concept. Neat. Glad we are back to using terms like 'Hunter Killer' again.

[@WiseguyThreeOne]

Not really. Mike Forces were paratroop companies intended to reinforce A Camps that got hit. This is the successor to the dismount scout company from the brigade cav squadron which is being done away with.

[@craykard8325]

@@WiseguyThreeOne thank you for that course, correction.

[@WiseguyThreeOne]

@@craykard8325 You're welcome. I'm an... overly dedicated hobbyist on this stuff.

[@craykard8325]

@@WiseguyThreeOne No worries. Someone has to keep it straight. Give it enough time, a lot of this gets forgotten or mixed up.

[@germany456]

Beautiful place

[@africanricc3458]

U can just tell by the way the platoon commander talks and carries himself that he’s been there before and done that before…..real specialized no bullshit type of unit

[@user-tx1ww8lm1m]

2:54 slightly right of center. Hey Spotlight, fix that beacon you call a watch.

[@Robert-cd5zr]

Painfully light, disproportionately lethal XD

[@way75mit9]

The concept for these type units were tested way back in the early 1980's when I was assigned to a highly secret element of the 101st ABN Division Intel Brigade, known as the DRP or the Deep Recon Platoon, which was comprised of mostly former members of the 75th ranger RGT, a few former SF NCO's and a few old LRRP hold overs from Vietnam, we did a lot of don't ask , don't tell training in prep for missions in the middle east and eastern Europe , But outside the Div HQ NOBODY knew these teams even existed, except the Division Commander and his top staff !!!

[@gymdump4192]

I know LTC (now COL)Stultz when I see him, was a great BN commander and I’m sure a great BDE commander right now.

[@renzohenson7445]

Soldier at 4:16 mark taking a knee with his M4 on fire is a big NOGO

[@roguesodyssey]

What drone are they using?

[@briancooper2112]

Airborne!

[@user-un6yz7kq1o]

The 101st hasn’t been “hunter/ killers since CSM Purdy was the BN CSM for the 187th in 1995!

[@JR-jp7mi]

Hunter Killer plt was a term used in Iraq… when it was the Wild West

[@soldierfox]

Did homeboy seriously go all Robert Downey Jr./Tropic Thunder and facepaint a fcking goatee around his mouth 🤣😂🤣

[@user-oi6wi2di2z]

Upgrade those drones with scensors to avoid branches and guards around propellar blades... Ai drones that can maneuver independently like a forward observing dog....

[@Its_shiki_time4876]

How do you know they don't have that?

[@user-oi6wi2di2z]

@@Its_shiki_time4876 because they are using this gay shit

[@aaronpotter2000]

So Soldiers doing Soldier shit!

[@cheesypooo6838]

USA!

[@Mr88M4]

That drone is fuckin expensive as well

[@az_mtb_rider]

1/75 is going away? unfortunate, but excited to see this next phase of the 502

[@benm5913]

I heard him say that too. Seems weird.

[@johnhansen8272]

Sounded like a capability from 1/75, not the entire unit

[@benm5913]

Ope, I'm an idiot. He said C Troop 1-75. That's cav.

[@echohunter4199]

Ft. Campbell does have a Cav unit that most aren’t aware of. I spent 6 years in D co. 2/502nd INF and I haven’t heard that they moved or disbanded. They have their own area separate from the main base we call “Cav country” and they also have a air Cav detachment not far from their compound. That’s the best info I can provide.

[@NUCL3ARTAC0S]

All BCT Cav Squadrons are being deactivated, and a single cav squadron is being activated as a division cavalry squadron. The dismounted recon troops in those cav squadrons are being reflagged as the brigade recon company (like you see in the video)

[@nvrbetrwhoohoo3941]

Seems like Force Recon? Is this going down in Kentucky?

[@NUCL3ARTAC0S]

They aren't anything like force recon. They don't do deep reconnaissance or direct action missions, they are focused on reconnaissance, surveillance and information collection

[@TheInfantry98]

Just like recon who if they did direct action missions would get crushed due to small teams.

[@nvrbetrwhoohoo3941]

@@NUCL3ARTAC0S so like LRRP or LRS?

[@nvrbetrwhoohoo3941]

@@TheInfantry98 I’m guessing because it says “killer” in the title so I image they are doing hits?

[@mgway4661]

Please explain how this is not an infantry recon platoon The Army loves reinventing the wheel

[@slikman7601]

7:31 OUTDOOR BOYS in the army

[@kobiimpraim4838]

Addressing the elephant in the room, we need to see in-depth training on how to utilize and counter drone warfare. All those pretty little O-groups clustered in formations in woods around maps are meaningless if the enemy force can drop a couple drones on it. I really hope doctrine is being developed on the lessons being learned in the Ukraine war. We need to learn. We need to adopt and adapt EW atxthe small unit level to the changing battlefield.... or were just waiting our time.

[@Jguthro]

The light colored thing mounted to the vehicle might me be some kind of detection system. Or the drone might have detection capabilities.

[@RetreatHell]

It is... a Marine friend said that on a previous large scale training exercise for the first time ever they had drones dropping blue training grenades into open tank hatches and near any large clusters of infantrymen to get them used to the idea of that threat. I imagine at least some Army units are also using the same.

[@drake1118]

wait why is there a parachute in their company logo

[@nordfreiheit]

Are these companies meant to replace the old Pathfinder Companies?

[@nvrbetrwhoohoo3941]

Like Ranger Companies in Vietnam?

[@nordfreiheit]

@nvrbetrwhoohoo3941 Unsure. We had Pathfinder Companies during the Global War on Terror, which acted as a special unit for each infantry division. They did reconnaissance, hostage rescue, raids, and, of course, establishing landing zones behind enemy lines. Somewhere between a reconnaissance platoon and a ranger company in terms of capabilities. They phased them out around 2014 or so, I believe.

[@NUCL3ARTAC0S]

No, they are for recon/surveillance in support of the brigade they belong to. They do have Pathfinder coded positions so they can perform pathfinder missions if needed, but it's not a focus for them

[@nvrbetrwhoohoo3941]

@@nordfreiheit sounds like Force Recon but larger?

[@cooperjones6995]

It’s a multi domain company that got created because cav squadrons are getting disbanded and Charlie troops falls under cav for some reason. Charlie troop was the brigades recon element that also got disbanded so they pretty much just moved them directly under brigade and called them a different name.

[@infantryrecon101st]

Been there done that, did a lot of recon with a unit just like this for three years. Definitely not as cool as it looks lol! Very hard work and very underpaid and under appreciated by even your own unit and higher ups, had some cool SGT’s but not many.

[@marc7726]

So a scout plus platoon for the brigade.....

[@whodiedhere]

Exactly lmaooooo

[@paulpinnow4325]

Are there 13f’s attached to them too?

[@NUCL3ARTAC0S]

Yes, 13F's have always been attached to the C TRP/MFRC

[@paulpinnow4325]

@@NUCL3ARTAC0Sthat’s awesome. I’m trying to pcs there this year. Should I be JFO?

[@danrosenthal9231]

So it's an IBCT's RSTA squadron's dismounted reconnaissance troop, basically, but with more UAS capability and a smaller scout/sniper element. Nice evolution but this isn't really a game-changer.

[@TechnicalTroubleMC]

So cool that even their sleeves are slick

[@NotHaunted...]

Opsec???????????

[@thefucrew9865]

Blackhearts !!!

[@harrywebsters2318]

0:29 what in gods name is going on with his ruck...?

[@elmersglue8723]

bro really has his assault pack on the side of his ruck lmao

[@charlesl5226]

It’s interesting to see how the army infantry even the 82ns and 101st are still useing pros and ACOG’s while all of the marine infantry are using lpvos now.

[@mrvladimirputin9828]

while true in the video, dont the marines get the oldest gear? I think you are talking about the marines in MARSOC, pretty sure regular infantry gets ACOGs or irons.

[@CheekRunner]

@@mrvladimirputin9828no that trope that the marines get old gear was only true during ww2 they’re better equipped than the typical army infantryman now

[@bryceburnell7347]

@@mrvladimirputin9828 0311 and 0331 marines have near SOF level gear all the way from obscure helmets to lpvos and a range of new rifles

[@JMark-zk5pj]

@@CheekRunner too funny.

[@iR-ef9zj]

@@JMark-zk5pj ikr

[@kazumasahorikawa3772]

Which brigades is this from?

[@mediamagikgroup]

Soldiers Assigned to the new Multi-Functional Reconnaissance Company, 2nd Brigade Combat Team (Strike), 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) take part in Operation Lethal Eagle for their first large scale field training exercise at Fort Campbell, Ky., April 27, 2024. Strike Brigade is one of the Army’s first units to prototype the mobile brigade combat team (MBCT) concept. The MBCT will be lighter and more lethal while providing increased mobility to close combat forces. The Army is undertaking its most significant transformation in more than 40 years to dominate in large-scale combat operations in multidomain environments. Through Continuous Transformation, the Army will maintain dominance against rapidly evolving and emerging threats in an era of dynamic change in the character of war.

[@user-sb9fw6ui2i]

@@mediamagikgroupyou’re basically making a brigade that conducts operations that SF and Ranger team’s already conduct.

[@AnrchyXRY]

@@user-sb9fw6ui2iYou say that like it’s a bad thing lmao. There’s an inherent benefit to being able to do these things organically rather than having to pull non organic units to do it.

[@user-sb9fw6ui2i]

@@AnrchyXRY why didn’t the Army think of this during the 20 years and the countless lives that were lost in Afghanistan and Iraq???

[@AnrchyXRY]

@@user-sb9fw6ui2i Because Afghanistan wasn’t a near peer threat. Womp womp

[@johnng6416]

Hooah! Strike Fear!

[@kadenmullins5036]

Hell ye

[@connorjohnson3948]

Literally doing the same shit that every line infantry unit does

[@NUCL3ARTAC0S]

This is a brigade recon company, not battalion scouts

[@KipKil1igan]

Why do they all wear their chest rigs so low? Old buds dangler is almost a fanny pack

[@CoastalSouth]

Because it's called lbe, low bearing equation. Don't be a smart-ass when you're a dumba.

[@jasonneumann1678]

For some that don't remember, the LBE's were worn low as well. This helps out when wearing a ruck. Now, when you're not wearing a ruck all the time you can adjust these newer rigs, so that it is higher. That fanny pack can contain a blow-out kit, batteries, twinkies, or whatever you think you need quickly.

[@KipKil1igan]

@jasonneumann1678 i know what LBE is and a chest rig is not load bearing, theres nothing across the back so it doesnt interfere with a pack its just set up sloppy

[@sylthaya7571]

@@KipKil1iganwell, chest rigs dont protect anything. So wearing it where comfortable is fine

[@jasonneumann1678]

@@KipKil1igan a chest rig is most definitely load bearing, that's the main aspect of it. Of course, maybe the sloppy look that you see is because it's not done to a standard you're used to. Either way, the Soldiers will live and learn, and junior Soldiers will take them under their wing to show them proper ways in setting up their gear.

[@keagan225]

We had to go recover your vic after you got absolutely clapped.

[@theslayer9164]

imo with ISV support should be the drone operator the USE of skydios is awful without such assets as its carrier its stupidly shaped our D co has moved from being a weapons company to a drone and drone defense company and the use of there vehicles makes our drone assets a lot better granted i get it theory you could be somewhere where vehicles arent

[@Rightpedal]

The captain is more worried about his hair than actually putting face paint on

[@Blahblahblah69097]

some people [YOU] don't deserve access to the internet.

[@mediamagikgroup]

LMAO!

[@065Tim]

Seeing skin color on anyone calling themselves "Recon" is a joke. If you do something, do it right.

[@yolickerss]

you realize his hat covers that part of his head right. He either was likely wearing it when he put his paint on or is experienced enough to know that it would be covered and that his sweating it off would be more annoying than just leaving it unpainted

[@rephro]

you do realize you have a hat or helmet on whenever you are patrolling anyway

[@Mainman7]

Are these units ready for war against a enemy who is trained just as well and has technology ie China

[@paul-tb4vt]

That is the exact purpose this type of plt would be formed. Is China ready?

[@redacted5052]

Never trust an officer who puts on that much face paint.

[@DJ-mz7td]

Oh my!

[@atacms2020]

1 Stinger team for counter UAS? Have they NOT been seeing the amount of drones out in Ukraine?! This platoon should be equipped with a Kongsberg RWS 30mm autocannon with detection radar to take out drones. 1 Stinger team is woefully insufficient and reloads will take too long.

[@NUCL3ARTAC0S]

Putting a 30mm cannon in a unit that is supposed to remain stealthy isn't a good idea

[@navyseal1689]

Fr, they need autonomous jammer at least.

[@navyseal1689]

Or buckshot shotgun

[@Asymmetrical.athlete_]

These dudes are still using M68s and PEQ2s? They go back in time?

[@AnrchyXRY]

Where are you seeing a peq 2 lmao. The tan one is a peq 15 and the gray one is a peq 15a

[@Asymmetrical.athlete_]

@@AnrchyXRY if you watch the video you’ll see a couple of them….they are big and black

[@AnrchyXRY]

@@Asymmetrical.athlete_time stamp one

[@Asymmetrical.athlete_]

@@AnrchyXRY I’m not going back and watching and pausing the video just so some person I don’t know can see one….you can do that yourself

[@AnrchyXRY]

@@Asymmetrical.athlete_ Almost like you don’t actually know what a peq 2 looks like

[@ss0238]

Thankfully some regular army troops with no stupid beards.

[@mchankerhoff853]

Not to be fucked with.

[@user-nk8ww9ce9k]

Oh, they will be fucked with. At this point US military is just a sports team against another countries military sport team. There is no US of A anymore. Its ZOUSA.

[@AnrchyXRY]

@@user-nk8ww9ce9kCope

[@mchankerhoff853]

@@user-nk8ww9ce9k Columbia graduate?

[@leonardrestituyo770]

American dangerous real that 😅

[@hrdknox2000]

The Army needs to find a replacement for OCP, and FAST! It's a horrible choice of camouflage for the coming war operations in Europe! It's too brown, and NOT in a dark brown/green color scheme.

[@romeodeguzman1094]

Its beats the UCP pattern for sure

[@hrdknox2000]

@romeodeguzman1094 Yeah, but that's like like says that booger pie is better than shit soup.

[@RoyRogersMcFreely28]

This is 100% a LRS mission. I love it only took the Army 20 years after disbanding the Division and Corps LRS units to realize It was a stupid fucking idea.

[@travhammer]

Mmhm mhmm Thats (HK) not ur real name..... e

[@KrashtestKenny-yv5if]

😂😂🇺🇸, sounds great for a catch phrase, but they need some practice and to learn to be quiet not sound like a herd of buffalo stomping around. , their interviews were even a good sign of how “ great & lethal” they are🇺🇸. Kill squad leader -OUT

[@Redlight25]

Meh… No Slack!

[@user-nk8ww9ce9k]

What is the allure of fighting wars that benefit banks/corporations/shmall hat crue?

[@hercdiver]

To give you the freedom to ask the question.

[@Python18]

To move up a socioeconomic class.

[@jasonneumann1678]

To boost economic status and provide jobs. I guess you don't get out much, do you? Here's a question, why do we have ancestors that can be traced by following directional paths, or even better, why did Ghengis Khan do what he did?

[@Python18]

@@jasonneumann1678 get out much? I’m someone who benefited from joining the military, got my education, got medical out of it. Sure, Uncle Sam took his pound of flesh but I knew what I signed up for. I can confidently say I went up a socioeconomic class because of my service just like so many others. I was simply answering OP question. ☮️

[@jasonneumann1678]

@@Python18 my response wasn't at you. So, if you took it that way, then that was your assessment.

[@13tarfu]

They look like clumsy amateurs.

[@user-sb9fw6ui2i]

That’s because they’re just legs. Ground pounders. If they want to act like the big boys, then they need to go to the big boys school. Ranger School. RLTW

[@Guywhodoesstuff-cy6kp]

They are indeed

[@user-sb9fw6ui2i]

They’re just a newly formed Brigade. It’s going to take some time to work all of the bugs out to make them a highly effective Combat Brigade. I’ve heard them running exercises at all hours of the day, even at 0200 hours.

[@Guywhodoesstuff-cy6kp]

@@user-sb9fw6ui2i everyone in OLE is doing stuff at 02 and they are doing the exact same thing they were doing before just with drones now lol

[@JackHammer-vk6jv]

They are

[@MarkWongMD]

What are they hunting or killing? They look like any other low grade regular infantry unit. In fact I'd say they look WORSE!

[@NUCL3ARTAC0S]

Do you have reasoning for saying that?

[@elevenb6967]

@@NUCL3ARTAC0S Of course he doesn't. The only things missing from his post, are the Three Billy Goats Gruff. -_-

[@LiamPopSmith]

You guys need hair cuts WTH man ,

[@juansantana8448]

They can play all the games they want, but with Russia, you are not playing games, it is for keeps, and I highly doubt these games will teach to "keep"

[@donkemp8151]

While troops in Ukraine are conducting war remotely. I guess the US Army is too focused on pronouns and gender to learn modern concepts.

[@NUCL3ARTAC0S]

Genius comment, nothing relevant to the video at all though

[@TheInfantry98]

They will be lighter forces? Oh your low back pain is not service connected at this time. Infantry is never lighter