PETERSON SPACE FORCE BASE, Colo. – Conceptualizing a process on paper is one thing; attaining proof of concept is another.
U.S. Northern Command tested the authorization and deployment process of a counter-small unmanned aircraft system (C-sUAS) fly-away kit to a military installation March 31-April 4 at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona, during Exercise Desert Peak. The exercise was designed to demonstrate a rapid response to a complex drone incursion at an installation, resulting in a request for USNORTHCOM C-sUAS support.
“In November, USNORTHCOM was given the responsibility of synchronizing the Department of Defense’s and, if necessary, interagency response to counter UAS incursions at military installations within the United States,” said Gen. Gregory M. Guillot, commander, USNORTHCOM and North American Aerospace Defense Command. “Part of that responsibility is to develop a process and field a rapid-response capability in the form of fly-away kits to provide the initial capability to an installation to defeat a UAS threat.”
U.S. Coast Guard Cmdr. Paul Miller and U.S. Navy Cmdr. Chuan Napolitano, joint C-sUAS planners for USNORTHCOM operations, said working through and receiving approval to deploy a fly-away kit was the primary test for Desert Peak.
Miller said the exercise began in earnest on March 31 when members of the U.S. Army’s Combat Capabilities Development Command’s Global Operations Support Team, or GOST, launched drones to simulate a complex drone incursion. The complex nature of the incursion prompted a Conference Uniform, a meeting between stakeholders convened by USNORTHCOM. The conference provided a forum with 355th Wing, 355th Security Forces Squadron, and installation representatives to discuss the current situation and work through a request for assistance.
Col. Scott Mills, 355th Wing commander, lauded the exercise and the opportunity to participate in Desert Peak.
"Exercise Desert Peak was a resounding success here at Davis-Monthan, showcasing the DoD’s readiness and adaptability in countering the evolving threat of small, unmanned aircraft systems," said Col. Scott Mills, 355th Wing commander. "By testing both existing and emerging technologies, we were able to not only validate our organic base defense capabilities, but also provide invaluable feedback to developers, accelerating the development of innovative solutions for the defense of military installations across the U.S. The lessons learned during Desert Peak will directly contribute to the DoD's C-sUAS strategy, ensuring we remain vigilant."
Stakeholders were also able to simulate the process of working with interagency partners to attain the required authority to operate a system to detect, track, identify, and defeat drones. The specific authority, Title 10 Section 130i, is the portion of U.S. Code that allows for protection of certain facilities and assets from unauthorized UAS activity. Much of the coordination is with the Federal Aviation Administration to ensure that counter-UAS engagements do not pose a risk to civilian, military, and commercial aircraft.
“Exercise Desert Peak objectives were met because we got to exercise the coordination and logistics for fly-away capabilities and gaining the required authorities through specific service channels,” Napolitano said. “We knew how the process should work, but to see it in action illustrated the importance of rapid, clear communication from the tactical level all the way to the Office of the Secretary of Defense and across the Interagency.”