The Lessons of Counter-Drone Weapons Testing
What soldiers are learning from live-fire testing of counter-drone hardware.
Choosing the best counter-drone hardware and training soldiers in how to use it is not easy. For this reason, live-fire tests are conducted where the pros and cons of each weapon can be discussed, and the tactics and optimal use can be explored.
One such test was Operation Hard Kill which was conducted recently in New York State by the US Army and led by the 10th Mountain Division – a unit which has a great deal of counter-drone experience in fighting ISIS insurgents in Syria.
Unlike the live-fire tests for most military hardware, counter-drone combat is complex in that it operates in a 3D space, as opposed to the flat field of a typical firing range. Or as the event’s lead planner, Major David Endter, puts it, “It's not just how far out does your weapon go, it's how far up does your weapon go.”
And unlike other live-fire ranges, the variety of weaponry is much more diverse, including lasers and electronic warfare systems, as well as kinetic impact projectiles.
But more than just comparing systems, the tests are about training, as every soldier will need to know how to defend himself and his unit from drone attack. For this reason, Maj, Gen. Scott Naumann, the commander of the 10th Mountain hopes that counter-drone ranges will become commonplace throughout the Army.
“We want to share lessons with other divisions across the army,” he said. “To show that this is something we want to encompass and create at every home station inside the U.S. to train every soldier.”
Endter agrees that such training should be more commonplace, such that the Army is at a point where any unit can say, “hey, I want to go out and practice counter-[drone],” he said. “They can go occupy a range, they can call up range of control, and we can get drones in the air.” Before asking, “We want to know: how can we get as much home station training as possible here?”
While first-person-view (FVP) drone attacks have become much more common in Ukraine, this test did not include any of this type, as US forces usually encounter enemy drones which target bases and airfields - typically well-defended positions. Because FVP drones do not carry a warhead large enough to do much damage to an airbase, the insurgents use larger drones, often with deadly effect.
In January, for example, three American soldiers died and 40 more were injured in a drone attack while deployed in Jordan.
What has been learnt from encounters like that is that every soldier needs to be trained in counter-drone defence.
“I did not have a single air defender under my battalion that was in charge of defending Al Assad air base [in Iraq],” explains Maj. Anthony Padalino, a 10th Mountain Division field-artillery officer. “They were artillerymen, medics, infantrymen.”
It was tough training too, with soldiers required to assess in a matter of seconds, if an incoming drone was friendly or not and then decide how best to engage it. The result though, was troops that were well aware of their responsibilities and how to react when under drone attack.
“You can't fake it with our soldiers,” he notes. “They've actually lived it when systems didn't work, when drones impacted their base.”
As the use of drones continues to proliferate, it has become increasingly crucial for armed forces around the world to ensure their soldiers are thoroughly trained in the deployment and operation of counter-drone weapons. These specialized systems, which can detect, track, and neutralize hostile uncrewed aerial vehicles, are a critical component of modern warfare and force protection.
Through rigorous, live-fire training exercises, soldiers can develop the necessary skills and muscle memory to effectively employ these counter-drone technologies under the intense pressure of real-world combat scenarios. Such hands-on practice not only familiarizes troops with the intricate mechanics and targeting procedures of counter-drone weaponry, but also allows them to troubleshoot potential malfunctions, optimize firing solutions, and coordinate these capabilities seamlessly with other air defence assets.
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