US National Guard leaders have spoken in support of House Bill 2462 designed to clarify how the National Guard and Washington State Guard can assist law enforcement in responding to credible drone threats, according to a US National Guard press release.
The bill is currently in committee in the House of the state legislature.
“It allows the governor, through the adjutant general, to set clear rules for how agencies respond to drone threats and authorizes the governor to use the National Guard to support law enforcement when needed,” said Lt. Col. Denny Frey, the adjutant general’s command action group lead. “In short, it improves coordination, closes capability gaps and gives the state additional tools to protect the public.”
With millions of soccer fans set to descend on the Pacific Northwest for the FIFA World Cup 2026, the Washington National Guard and public safety leaders have been preparing for the possibility that drones could fall into the wrong hands during the FIFA World Cup 2026.
On February 11, at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, the Washington National Guard supported a FIFA Field Ready Range Day focused on countering unmanned aerial system, or UAS, threats. The training brought together military, law enforcement and interagency partners to sharpen their ability to detect, track and respond to potentially hostile drones ahead of major international events, including multiple World Cup matches scheduled in Seattle, according to a National Guard press release.
“I spent the last two years as the I Corps chief of staff and I have been all over the Pacific Theater trying to ensure readiness for large-scale combat operations,” said Col. Phillip Lamb, senior army advisor for the Washington National Guard. “And what I’ve come to determine is that we’ve defined readiness improperly up until this point in time. What we’re doing here now is the future of real readiness.”
Lamb believes events like these are promoting the next level of readiness.
“As you look at defense of the homeland as the priority for this administration and for the Department of War, what we’re doing out here is the beginning of generating real readiness to defend critical infrastructure, like installations and ports, from flying unmanned systems while defending and protecting critical war fighting functions,” Lamb continued. “This is now becoming the priority of effort in what we really mean when we talk about generating readiness.”
The event built on momentum from a Counter-Unmanned Aerial Systems Summit hosted by the Washington National Guard in November 2025, which examined drone threats during large-scale public gatherings, according to the press statement. Discussions during the February training reinforced the Guard’s role in supporting civil authorities, particularly in detection and monitoring, while operating within federal and state legal frameworks.
During the Range Day event, National Guard subject-matter experts outlined how counter-UAS support typically works during major events. Local law enforcement agencies remain responsible for establishing Temporary Flight Restrictions through the Federal Aviation Administration, while requests for National Guard assistance are coordinated through the State Emergency Operations Center.
“The primary role of the National Guard during these missions is detection and monitoring of potentially hazardous drones,” said Lt. Col. Wes Watson, former commander of the 10th Civil Support Team. “That capability is critical when local agencies are stretched or facing a complex threat environment.”
For more information
https://app.leg.wa.gov/BillSummary/?BillNumber=2462&Year=2026#documentSection
(Image: National Guard)