Army, air force double down on counter-drone training

By mid-2026, the U.S. Army's 1st Cavalry Division spearheaded a doctrinal evolution by integrating counter-drone warfare into conventional infantry training through its new qualification course at Fort Hood. Developed under the Pegasus Charge experimentation campaign and the Transformation in Contact initiative, this program equips infantry soldiers to detect, track, and engage hostile drones using standard infantry weapons, reflecting a pivotal shift from relying solely on specialized short-range air defense or electronic warfare units to a layered defense approach that empowers organic infantry capabilities.

The counter-drone training rigorously simulates contemporary threats by incorporating faster drone target speeds and complex attack profiles that mimic high-speed, low-altitude FPV strike drones, leaving defenders mere seconds to respond. Conducted under challenging environmental conditions such as rain, mud, and high humidity, the training ensures soldiers and their equipment maintain operational effectiveness despite adverse weather factors that can degrade battery life, flight stability, and sensor accuracy.

Complementing infantry-focused efforts, the Army expanded its tactical drone lethality training at Fort Rucker by more than doubling live kinetic drone engagements—from 5 to 12 per class—using the Shank 1.0 attritable drone armed with C4 explosives to simulate close-quarters battle scenarios. This enhancement addresses critical capability gaps exposed by drone warfare observed in conflicts like Ukraine and has sparked heightened interest among Army personnel and institutions such as West Point, underscoring the growing strategic emphasis on drone tactics and counter-drone operations.

By mid-2026, the Air Force had formed rapidly deployable point defense flights composed of roughly 20 enlisted Airmen selected for their aviation and battle management expertise, emphasizing operational 'airmindedness' crucial to sustaining combat airpower. These specialized units, as Michael Sheehy explains, focus on protecting remote airfields used in agile combat employment missions, marking a strategic pivot toward organic air base defense capabilities.

To professionalize this emerging mission, the Air Force introduced a new base defense job specialty code in early 2026, creating a dedicated career path that underscores the importance of organization, training, and equipment in countering evolving drone threats. This initiative complements the publication of new doctrine in April 2025 on 'Point Defense of Air Bases,' which formally shifted air base defense responsibilities from the Army to the Air Force, empowering air base commanders with organic counter-drone capabilities.

Training for these counter-drone units is centralized at the Joint Counter Unmanned Aircraft Systems University at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, where Airmen undergo an intensive three-week course to master U.S. military counter-drone technologies. This rigorous preparation ensures that point defense flights can effectively operate the Small Unmanned Air Defense Systems (SUADS), the Air Force’s primary counter-drone platform funded with $51.8 million in the fiscal 2026 budget and available in both fixed and rapidly deployable variants.

Equipped with mobile SUADS variants, these point defense flights are designed to rapidly deploy as force packages supporting agile combat employment operations in hotspots like the Pacific. As Sheehy highlights, the integration of sensor, effector, and command-and-control components into a single deployable system enables these units to provide robust, flexible counter-drone defense tailored to the dynamic demands of future conflict zones.

Camp Grayling has been officially designated by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth as a national drone testing site, rapidly evolving into a pivotal hub for military drone innovation and training. The Northern Strike exercise exemplifies this role by bringing thousands of service members to train alongside emerging drone technologies, enabling real-time feedback and iterative refinement of defense equipment. Industry leaders like Dominant Global Solutions and Michigan-based Vertical Autonomy are capitalizing on Camp Grayling’s extensive resources and the local talent pipeline to accelerate the development and integration of drone capabilities, positioning the site as a logistics-focused defense innovation center.

Fort Indiantown Gap has emerged as the primary new-equipment training and testing site for the U.S. Army’s Drone Dominance program, following its selection after the June 2026 Drone Gauntlet competition. The Pennsylvania National Guard’s UAS Training and Innovation Facility (TIF) at the base leads the charge in integrating cutting-edge UAV systems by rigorously testing drones from the top 11 industry performers, adapting manufacturer training for military application, and training soldiers from both active and reserve units. Its strategic proximity to key military logistics and research centers like Tobyhanna Army Depot and Picatinny Arsenal further amplifies Fort Indiantown Gap’s role as a national innovation hub accelerating drone capability development.

Retired Brig. Gen. Houston Cantwell underscores the imperative for a comprehensive counter-drone strategy that transcends mere point defense, advocating for offensive operations targeting enemy drone manufacturing alongside enhanced early-warning systems. He stresses that relying solely on defensive measures is a losing proposition, emphasizing the need to equip Airmen with cutting-edge technology to detect, track, and neutralize threats proactively. However, despite these strategic insights, Cantwell criticizes the current response as bureaucratic and lacking urgency, calling for increased resources to sustain and evolve counter-UAS missions capable of addressing large-scale drone attacks effectively.

In addition to offensive and detection capabilities, Cantwell highlights the critical role of electromagnetic spectrum management and a multilevel protective posture at air bases to adapt to the rapidly evolving drone threat landscape. By empowering air base commanders to control the electromagnetic environment and implement layered defenses, the strategy aims to provide flexible, scalable protection that can respond dynamically to varying threat intensities. This holistic approach reflects a shift from static point defense toward integrated operational resilience against increasingly sophisticated drone incursions.