Operation Hard Kill’s counter-drone warfare showcased: Weapon of the week

One of the many lessons learned from Ukraine’s war against Russia’s illegal invasion is the effectiveness of drone warfare. While the offensive advantages to drones are clear, the ability to defend troops against drones in the hands of bad actors is equally crucial. This was the motivation behind Operation Hard Kill, a critical counter-drone warfare project.

Soldiers, senior Army leaders and industry partners gathered at Fort Drum, New York, to showcase various counter-unmanned aircraft systems (C-UAS). The 10th Mountain Division hosted the event. It provided soldiers with an up-close look at developing C-UAS equipment they will likely use in future conflicts.

“We’ve got to be able to go out onto the range, much like we take a rifle out of the arms room today,” Maj. Gen. Scott Naumann, Commander of the 10th Mountain Division, said. “We go to the rifle range, we open up the range, we start shooting. We’ve got to be able to do that with our drones, and it’s got to be scrutinized across the force. These types of exercises help us scrutinize that force, and it gives us the sets and the repetitions that we need to be proficient before we send our soldiers into harm’s way.”

The event illustrated part of the Department of Defense’s response to the deadly January 2023 attack on an American outpost in Jordan. A one-way uncrewed aerial system killed three Army soldiers and wounded 40 others.

Army officials said the hope is that one day, a counter-drone range will be as accessible as modern gun ranges.

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