How to close the C-UAS readiness gap

The Spiderweb attack on Russian strategic nuclear forces and Israel’s Rising Lion attack on Iran were wake-up calls: even small drones can have a massive impact. Today, that threat is accelerating at home.

With President Trump’s recent Executive Order on “Restoring American Airspace Sovereignty,” Counter Unmanned Aerial System (C-UAS) development has become a critical national priority. It is also one of the few areas shielded from defense budget cuts. In fact, it is so important that the Trump administration is weighing the role of C-UAS in its Golden Dome for America missile defense initiative.

NORTHCOM is working closely with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to support federal law enforcement with additional military forces along the U.S.-Mexico border. However, advancing C-UAS capabilities requires more than just extra personnel and technological innovation. It demands effective, large-scale training for warfighters and border patrol agents.

The escalating drone challenge

Effectively countering drones – detecting, tracking, and neutralizing them – is increasingly difficult, especially on U.S. soil.

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are getting smaller, smarter, and harder to detect. Adversaries are deploying swarms and using countermeasures like frequency hopping and autonomous navigation to evade defenses. Meanwhile, production is cheap and fast, thanks to off-the-shelf parts and 3D printing, while stopping them remains expensive. A small drone might cost a few hundred dollars. A single Coyote interceptor missile? Over $100,000.

Legal constraints add further complexity. Jamming drones risks disrupting civilian aircraft and communications networks or violating privacy laws, particularly in crowded or urban environments.

Yet, training remains one of the biggest gaps. U.S. regulations limit live drone testing, and live-fire exercises are costly and difficult to coordinate. Most units rely on small-scale or ad-hoc exercises that fall short of replicating realistic combat scenarios that enable appropriate training outcomes.

The U.S. Army has developed a scalable, flexible, and affordable training model that’s been used to educate thousands of soldiers to defend against UAS. NORTHCOM, federal law enforcement, and State, Local, Tribal and Territorial (SLTT) law enforcement can adopt this approach to close the readiness gap fast.

Building a scalable C-UAS training model

The U.S. Army’s playbook provides fast, scalable C-UAS training that integrates simulation-based tools, live exercises, and cross-agency collaboration to maximize preparedness. NORTHCOM, federal agencies, and SLTT should leverage these proven strategies to quickly strengthen the border against drone threats and incursions:

1. Deploy mobile, simulation-based training tools: Invest in mobile, software-based platforms that enable large-scale, scenario-driven training. These systems allow personnel to detect, track, and neutralize UAV threats in a realistic, risk-free environment without limitations of live-fly exercises.
2. Incorporate kinetic and non-kinetic engagement strategies: The Army’s training program incorporates instruction on physical C-UAS methods, like the Coyote Missile System, as well as non-kinetic methods like electronic warfare and jamming. This dual approach ensures versatility in countering diverse drone threats.
3. Create realistic, combat-relevant scenarios: Training should reflect operational realities: urban clutter, environmental noise, fast-moving drone swarms, and cross-border incursions.
4. Align virtual training with physical systems: Simulation tools must mirror the functionality of physical platforms like Fixed-Site Low, Slow, Small Unmanned Aircraft Defeat Systems (FS-LIDS) and Mobile-LIDS (M-LIDS) vehicles to reduce over-reliance on costly equipment while expanding access to high-quality training.
5. Embed rules of engagement (ROE) into each training phase: Operators must understand the legal and operational boundaries unique to U.S. airspace, including how to avoid civilian aviation interference or privacy breaches. These boundaries must be reinforced across virtual and live environments in all training phases.
6. Leverage rapid acquisition pathways to move fast: NORTHCOM and DHS should consider Joint Urgent Operational Needs (JUON) and other rapid acquisition mechanisms to overcome traditional procurement hurdles to acquiring the technology, resources, and training needed to address the urgent threat.

The savings are substantial. As mentioned, one Coyote interceptor missile costs over $100,000. A live-fire mission for each trainee would have cost the Army nearly $679 million. CT3 units cost just $25,000 and support repeatable multi-user training, without expending a single round.

Mobile simulation-based training also eliminates the need for constant access to physical platforms like FS-LIDS and M-LIDS, expanding training opportunities without logistical constraints.

As drone warfare intensifies, realistic, scalable, simulation-based training isn’t optional. It’s an operational necessity. Mobile simulation-based tools can enable soldiers and federal law enforcement officers to hone their skills in a cost-effective, risk-free environment, preparing them to work together to counter emerging and evolving UAV threats at the border and beyond.