The United States Air Force (USAF) announced on January 22 that the Athena counter-uncrewed aerial system (C-UAS) integration kit has reached initial operating capability (IOC). The IOC assessment follows seven years of collaboration and development.
The USAF said Athena strengthens the ability of US forces to detect, identify and respond to unmanned aerial threats in the National Capital Region (NCR).
The Athena system, directed for placement by the commander of North American Aerospace Defense Command and US Northern Command (USNORTHCOM), is a government-owned and cyber-accredited capability. It provides a fused, actionable air picture to a variety of command-and-control user interfaces.
“The Athena system represents a pivotal advancement in our ability to safeguard the skies,” said Lt. Gen. M. Luke Ahmann, CONR-1AF (AFNORTH & AFSPACE) commander. “It amplifies our counter-UAS capabilities by providing a single, integrated air picture, enabling us to detect, track and neutralise threats with greater speed and precision. This is a critical tool for homeland defence in the 21st century.”
Athena performs system integration, sensor fusion and identification or discrimination of UAS activity. It integrates sensor data from multiple agencies’ C-UAS sensors into a single track for any detected UAS activity and fuses identification information to differentiate between UAS and other objects detected by the sensors. The common operating picture produced by Athena is forwarded to several key command-and-control systems.
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Image: A Skydio X10 small Unmanned Aircraft System, operated by the 7th Security Forces Squadron, conducts surveillance around Ray Rangel Air Base during Exercise Coyote Shield at Dyess Air Force Base, Texas, Oct. 17, 2025. (US Air Force photo by Senior Airman Jade M. Caldwell)
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