The Center for a New American Security (CNAS), a Washington DC-based think tank, says US drone defences are insufficient and warns that China is scaling up its uncrewed warfare programme.
In its new report, CNAS says that while the US defence department (currently operating under the moniker of the Department of War) has invested in both legacy and emerging counter–uncrewed aerial systems (C-UAS) capabilities for nearly a decade, these efforts have been hindered by insufficient scale and urgency.
At the same time, Beijing is rapidly advancing its drone capabilities by developing more autonomous systems and acquiring them at scale. “Without deep magazines of substantially enhanced counter-drone capabilities, the United States risks having its distributed warfighting strategies overwhelmed by massed Chinese drone attacks, and the United States could lose a war over Taiwan,” CNAs notes, calling on the US to act swiftly. “The stakes are not theoretical—without adequate defences, even the most advanced systems and tactics will be rendered irrelevant in the face of overwhelming drone attacks.”
The think tank recommends expansion of current counter-drone training efforts and an improvement in testing new systems. It calls for a focus on layered and portable systems to meet an immediate need. For future drone threats, the report says investment in artificial intelligence (AI) to accelerate threat identification and engagement is essential and emerging technologies like high-power microwave should be transitioned to programmes of record. In addition, CNAS says long-range, high-resolution passive sensors offer a “survivable alternative” to active radars for finding drones.
CNAS’ report is divided into six chapters. The first provides an overview of counter-drone operations and describes the various capabilities that can be used to defeat drones. The second evaluates US defence investments in counter-drone technologies. Chapters three and four present case studies of US Army operations in the Middle East and of US Navy and Air Force operations in the Red Sea. The fifth chapter provides insights about defeating Chinese drones in the context of a protracted conflict. The final chapter analyses the investments, case studies, and tabletop exercise insights to offer conclusions and recommendations.
For more information
Countering the Swarm report at the Center for a New American Security
Image: US Marine Corps photo from an October 2024 demonstration of a handheld counter-drone device. (US Marine Corps/Cpl. Jonathan Beauchamp)
