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Last Update: 09/22/2026 at 11:34 PM EST
Military Counter-Drone Defense
Coverage from Business Insider, RAND Corporation, and others
Military counter-drone defense brings together sensors, command systems, electronic warfare, kinetic interceptors, and force-protection measures to address small unmanned aircraft.
Experiences in Ukraine and the Middle East have highlighted the difficulty of detecting low-flying drones, the cost of using high-end missiles against inexpensive targets, and the risk that mass attacks can exhaust inventories or overwhelm decision-making. Responses range from radar and acoustic tracking to jamming, guns, lasers, interceptor drones, hardening, dispersal, and intelligence aimed at launch networks. The subject also includes how air forces organize, train, procure, and establish authorities for layered defenses.
Looking Back
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All Articles14 articles
Important
US counter-drone vendors and DoD and DHS leaders say detection-and-defeat gaps remain against hostile drones as guidance and offices expand in 2024-2025.
5/27/2026 • Counter-Drone & Airspace Security • General
RAND examined in the 2020s how small unmanned aerial systems threaten U.S. Air Force installations and could reshape air base defense responsibilities.
9/15/2026 • Counter-Drone & Airspace Security • General
US military counterdrone planning in the Middle East is urged to include antidrone nets after drone attacks using FPV and one-way payloads.
4/29/2026 • Counter-Drone & Airspace Security • General
Interesting
FBI warning to California law enforcement and Ukraine lessons are cited to argue that Remote ID and counter-UAS capabilities remain inadequate for urban drone threats.
6/24/2026 • Counter-Drone & Airspace Security • General
Gulf air defenses are assessed as overfocused on Patriot and THAAD guided interceptors, while Gepard 35 mm and other layered counter-drone layers are presented as more sustainable against Shahed raids.
6/1/2026 • Counter-Drone & Airspace Security • General
Joint Interagency Task Force 401 released a 100-page counter-UAS guide in the U.S. urging pre-attack layered defenses using the 4 Ps framework.
7/22/2026 • Counter-Drone & Airspace Security • General
CBO estimated layered counter-drone defenses for 100 U.S. military installations could cost up to $7.4 billion plus $500 million yearly for maintenance.
7/14/2026 • Counter-Drone & Airspace Security • General
Pentagon published Small Drones Big Problems in the USA in its counter-UAS effort, led by JIATF 401 officials Matthew Ross and Joe Amoroso.
7/10/2026 • Counter-Drone & Airspace Security • General
The Air Force Point Defense Battle Lab, at Grand Forks AFB, issued Sam.gov RFIs to identify firms for deployable C-sUAS detection and kinetic effectors for August and December exercises.
7/7/2026 • Counter-Drone & Airspace Security • General
Additional
Jon Gruen urged governments during the 2026 Iran war's aftermath to combine airborne counter-UAS interception with pre-launch intelligence and launch-network disruption.
8/21/2026 • Counter-Drone & Airspace Security • General
JIATF 401 strategists Paul Lushenko and Joseph Amoroso call for layered counter-UAS homeland defense, citing unified command and interdiction authority updates including the 2026 NDAA.
5/14/2026 • Counter-Drone & Airspace Security • General
US Air Force personnel recently trained in the United States on layered defenses combining artificial intelligence, electronic warfare, and shotguns against drones.
8/27/2026 • Counter-Drone & Airspace Security • General
Western militaries adapt layered detection and command-and-control to counter small low-flying drone threats, citing limitations of systems like Patriot and lessons from Ukraine.
5/13/2026 • Counter-Drone & Airspace Security • General
The U.S. Air Force is being urged in the 2020s to redesign expeditionary base defense worldwide around integrated counter-UAV operations after persistent drone attacks in Ukraine and the Middle East.
8/28/2026 • Counter-Drone & Airspace Security • General