The United States Department of Homeland Security’s Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) has shared details of its tests in North Dakota over the summer to evaluate the capabilities of several kinetic counter-uncrewed aerial systems (C-UAS) technologies and mitigation of collateral effects.
Partners in the technology assessments included the University of North Dakota (UND) Research Institute for Autonomous Systems, UND Aerospace, Northern Plains UAS Test Site, accessND and the North Dakota National Guard. Representatives from US Customs and Border Protection and the US Secret Service also attended.
During the event, 10 companies demonstrated capabilities across four categories: Global Navigation Satellite System jamming, handheld weapon-fired munitions, directed energy weapons and drone-on-drone counter systems, including keynote demonstration of the Epirus High Power Microwave system.
S&T Project Manager Andy Myers said that testing the potential for domestic usage is critical. “Keeping the public safe many times means that the systems and methodologies used by the military in a war zone are not going to be appropriate for us to use domestically or in a law enforcement situation.”
Myers said analysis from this and similar events is informing planning for future kinetic mitigation events that are focused on operational use cases and red-teaming.
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US Department of Homeland Security
Image: University of North Dakota
