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Army Adds Cyber Capability to Counter-Drone System

The Counter-Unmanned Aerial System prototype goes on the cyber attack.

Using the Army’s cyber-enabled Counter-Unmanned Aerial System, soldiers were able to detect and counter small drones during training. Credit: U.S. Army

Soldiers with the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division (3/1 CD) recently tried out a cyber-based prototype that complements electronic warfare systems designed to combat enemy drones, the Army has revealed in an online article.

Using the Army's enhanced cyber-enabled Counter-Unmanned Aerial System (C-UAS) capability, soldiers were able to detect and counter common, small drones during their training. The new prototype alerted soldiers to the presence of a drone and provided a means to target it, for protection across the brigade.

This integration of cyber-enabled prototypes with existing signal, intelligence and electronic warfare capabilities allowed the soldiers to fix on a target and engage their fires cell, said Capt. Christopher Packard, electronic warfare and cyber electromagnetic activities chief for the 3/1 CD. "That's the goal right there, to reach the commander's end state and to meet his intent for lethal targeting--those are some of the main concepts to focus on," Packard said. "I think we've done well here, getting intelligence information as it's passed …. that we can use for targeting. I'm looking forward to seeing where this goes in the future."

The Defense Digital Service completed the specialized software of the pilot system and transitioned development of a prototype to the Army Rapid Capabilities and Critical Technologies Office (RCCTO), which crafted an acquisition approach that integrated software and hardware. Working with Tobyhanna Army Depot and ARCYBER, RCCTO launched prototype production in November.