Key Takeaways
- The US Army has signed an agreement with the United Kingdom to share intelligence on drone and counter-drone operations
- The agreement is the first of several partnerships the Army is seeking with allies and partners to build and buy the same tools and strengthen their position in future conflicts
- The US Army is also taking part in drone and counter-drone exercises and competitions with other partner nations, including a recent competition dubbed Flytrap 4.5
- The Army’s Task Force 401 has announced its first counter-drone purchase under the Replicator acquisition program, procuring two advanced DroneHunter F700 systems
- The DroneHunter F700 is a six-rotor unmanned aerial system that fires nets to capture other drones mid-air, with a high success rate of capturing target drones
Introduction to the Agreement
The US Army recently signed a significant agreement with the United Kingdom, establishing ground rules for sharing intelligence on drone and counter-drone operations. This partnership is the first of several that Army Secretary Dan Driscoll is seeking with allies and partners. Driscoll, along with Brig. Gen. Matthew Ross, the director of the Army’s Joint Interagency Task Force 401, traveled to the UK last month to work on the intelligence-sharing partnership. The agreement aims to figure out the rules for sharing information, as drones can penetrate airspace quickly and are difficult to predict.
The Importance of Intelligence Sharing
Driscoll emphasized the importance of exchanging information with allies, as drones are unlike missiles, which have a predictable trajectory. The agreement with the UK is a crucial step in building a stronger partnership between the two nations. Driscoll added that the US is looking to expand this partnership to other countries, allowing the service to ideally build and buy the same tools as its partners. This would make the US and its allies stronger in a future conflict where they would have to fight together. The US Army has a lot of the same software as its allies around the world, which would facilitate training, deployment, and potential conflicts.
Recent Exercises and Competitions
The US Army has been taking part in drone and counter-drone exercises and competitions with other partner nations in recent months. For example, the Army and vendors from the US and allied nations hosted a competition, dubbed Flytrap 4.5, to counter simulated threats from Group 1-3 (small- to medium-sized) drones operating in NATO airspace. Additionally, American soldiers from the 10th Army Air and Missile Defense Command joined their Polish and Romanian counterparts to train together for 10 days, learning how to operate the American-made Merops counter-drone platform. This platform has been used in Ukraine for nearly two years.
The Autonomous Systems Industry Alliance
In February, India and the US established an alliance for autonomous systems, called the Autonomous Systems Industry Alliance. The alliance aims to scale industry partnerships and production in the Indo-Pacific region. The partnership includes a plan for Anduril and the Mahindra Group to work on autonomous projects together, including co-developing and co-producing advanced AI-enabled counter UAS capabilities. This alliance is another example of the US Army’s efforts to build partnerships with allies and partners to strengthen its position in the region.
Task Force 401’s First Counter-Drone Purchase
Task Force 401 recently announced its first counter-drone purchase under the second phase of the Replicator acquisition program. The task force is procuring two advanced DroneHunter F700 systems, which are expected to be delivered by April. The DroneHunter F700 is a six-rotor unmanned aerial system that fires nets to capture other drones mid-air. According to the manufacturer, Fortem Technologies, once the F700 is within range of the target, escape is highly improbable, with only 15% of target drones evading the first shot. The purchase of the DroneHunter system is a key first step in accomplishing the Replicator 2 mission, which aims to deliver state-of-the-art counter-UAS capabilities to warfighters both at home and abroad.
Conclusion
The US Army’s agreement with the United Kingdom to share intelligence on drone and counter-drone operations is a significant step in building a stronger partnership between the two nations. The Army’s efforts to build partnerships with allies and partners, including recent exercises and competitions, demonstrate its commitment to strengthening its position in the region. The purchase of the DroneHunter F700 systems is a key example of the Army’s efforts to deliver state-of-the-art counter-UAS capabilities to warfighters. As the US Army continues to build and buy the same tools as its partners, it will ideally become stronger in future conflicts where they would have to fight together.