The U.S. Army Northern Command (NORTHCOM) has officially certified a new, highly mobile team designed to rapidly respond to and neutralize threats posed by small unmanned aerial systems, commonly known as drones. This development marks a significant shift in the military’s strategy for protecting domestic installations from aerial incursions. The 11-soldier unit is now fully operational after completing a series of demanding field exercises that tested their capabilities under realistic, high-pressure scenarios.
General Gregory Guillot, the commander of the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) and USNORTHCOM, highlighted the importance of this new team. He stated that the certification of the Counter-small UAS fly-away kit team represents a crucial advancement in supporting installation commanders across the United States. According to Guillot, the team’s role will extend beyond advisory functions, providing a deployable package of active and passive detection tools along with non-kinetic and low-kinetic options to defeat drone threats.
Advanced Technology at the Forefront
At the core of the team’s capabilities is the advanced fly-away kit produced by Anduril. This comprehensive system creates a multi-layered, 360-degree defensive shield around a designated area. It integrates several cutting-edge components to detect, track, and neutralize hostile drones. The kit’s sensory web is powered by Anduril’s Wisp system, which utilizes an AI-driven infrared sensor for all-around motion detection.
For interception, the kit relies on the Anvil, a self-guided interceptor drone. The Anvil is designed to hunt down and physically ram hostile drones, knocking them out of the sky. A more forceful option is also available in the form of a munition-equipped Anvil variant carrying high explosives, providing a low-collateral kinetic strike capability.
Proven Through Rigorous Testing
The newly formed team validated its skills and the effectiveness of the fly-away kit during extensive field exercises in Florida and North Dakota. One of the key evaluations took place during the Falcon Peak 25.2 exercise in September, where soldiers from the 10th Special Forces Group acted as adversaries, simulating various drone-based threats.
In a subsequent and decisive test, the team was tasked with defending the 5th Bomb Wing at Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota. Over several days, they successfully neutralized more than 100 unmanned aerial targets. This achievement is particularly noteworthy given the operators’ prior experience.
Chief Warrant Officer 3 Joey Frey, the C-sUAS response program manager for NORTHCOM, noted that most of the team members had no previous experience with this type of system. “This team of 11 far exceeded expectations,” Frey remarked, praising their ability to adapt to an unfamiliar mission and master the tactics of air defense in a short period. The successful certification of this team from USNORTHCOM and the 21st Space Base Delta at Peterson Space Force Base signals a proactive step in securing U.S. military installations from emerging aerial threats.
