At the US Army Association Show in Washington DC, a Big Focus on Fighting Drones
Can we move fast enough?
The Association of the US Army held its annual large scale show in Washington DC (October 13-15). A wide range of new products and solutions tailored to Army needs were featured at the show. Featured ground systems include the Oshkosh Striker with the new Medium Caliber Weapon System and the AM General MIMIC-V for special operations, while a major focus on drone and counter-drone capabilities was evident. Other key systems highlighted were General Dynamics’ PERCH and MUTT XM, which integrates loitering munitions and a Gatling gun for counter-UAS, and the General Dynamics NEXUS Stryker (a new version of a command and control vehicle).
New solutions at the show focused on helping the Army operate against enemy drones.
The Ukraine war has changed land warfare significantly, rendering the use of armored platforms including tanks and infantry fighting vehicles difficult in a drone-heavy combat environment. One outcome has been resorting to small units, three to five soldiers to achieve certain combat objectives.
The Russians, for example, have been using motorcycles and even horses, a huge step back in time from a combat perspective. Both sides also increasingly feature standoff weapons, but find it difficult to capitalize even where they can knock out a command post or cluster of enemy soldiers.
Drones have also replaced, to some degree, long range aviation and missiles. Deep precision strikes by the Russians on Ukraine’s critical infrastructure, and by Ukraine on Russian territory, illustrates the usefulness of attack drones on fixed targets. While both sides understand they will sacrifice many drones to knock out a target, and use some of them as decoys, overall the costs of operation are much lower than a conventional fighter jet or bomber-led attack, and the consequences far more acceptable when it comes to manpower, which survives operations and the cost of hardware which is lost.
The technologies that have appeared at AUSA mostly are intended to improve drone detection and methods to destroy them. So far, none of the technology promoted shows any great ability to seek out the operators and, inter alia, to destroy drone supply chains.
Multi-Layered Defense: The Components of Counter-UAS Systems
Modern counter-drone systems employ a layered approach, integrating various technologies to cover the full spectrum of drone defense—from early detection to neutralization. The solutions on display at AUSA 2025 exemplify this strategy.
Detection and Sensing Technologies
At the heart of any effective counter-drone system is the ability to detect and identify aerial threats early. Several exhibitors at AUSA are demonstrating advanced sensor technologies, including long-range thermal cameras, radio frequency (RF) detection systems, and electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) cameras. Motorola Solutions, for example, is showcasing an integrated network of RF sensors and thermal cameras designed to track drones and detect their operators. These sensors form the backbone of early warning systems, especially useful in low-visibility conditions or complex urban environments.
Electronic Warfare and Jamming
Once a drone is identified, neutralization typically involves non-kinetic methods such as RF jamming and signal spoofing. Trust Automation is presenting its GAT™ UAS jammer at AUSA—a compact, weapons-mountable device capable of disrupting drone communications and disabling threats without the need for physical destruction. These jammers are particularly useful in scenarios where the use of kinetic force may result in collateral damage, such as near civilian populations or critical infrastructure.
As more and more drones are capable of autonomous operations, and are equipped with multiple sensors to seek out targets and provide self-situational awareness, jammers will inevitably focus on scout and reconnaissance drones which must communicate, and less on attack combat drones that may not need radio communications. Moreover, on the battlefield there already are combat drones connected by fiber optics that are not jammable.
Directed-Energy Weapons
For higher-end threats or swarm scenarios, directed-energy weapons like high-energy lasers are gaining traction. Previous AUSA exhibitions featured systems such as Leonardo DRS’s Stryker-mounted laser weapons, designed to destroy drones mid-flight with precision. These systems offer a cost-effective and scalable solution for neutralizing multiple drones in rapid succession, a key capability in defending against mass drone attacks.
The problems facing laser solutions are making them small enough and sufficiently portable to play a sustained role in combat scenarios. Israel, for example, is already putting lasers on tanks and combat vehicles. Called Lite Beam, the Israeli system is already deployed and has registered some early success.
Autonomous Interceptors and Drone-on-Drone Defense
One of the more novel technologies on display comes from Ondas, whose Iron Drone Raider uses autonomous drones to intercept and disable enemy UAS in flight. These drone-on-drone systems represent a shift toward fully autonomous, AI-enabled defense platforms that can respond to threats without constant human input, improving reaction time and reducing operator workload.
Drone on drone warfare in theory makes good sense, but operationally has many challenges. The Ukrainians claim they have already knocked out some Russian drones in drone on drone combat. As a practical solution, this solution probably works best for protecting fixed site targets such as command centers, airfields or infrastructure, mostly because it is a potentially cheap solution compared to the cost of air defense systems. How it compares to using lasers is an issue that needs to be sorted out.
In dense combat environments, cheap systems without effective IFF (Identification Friend of Foe), presents an operational challenge.
Command and Control Integration
Technology alone is insufficient without the infrastructure to manage it. Many systems at AUSA are paired with advanced command and control (C2) platforms that integrate sensor data, streamline decision-making, and automate responses. Motorola Solutions is presenting a SaaS-based control system developed in partnership with SkySafe, which combines drone tracking data with situational awareness tools. These platforms enable forces to identify not only the drone but also its flight path and potential operator location—critical information in both kinetic and electronic countermeasures.
Portability, Modularity, and Rapid Deployment
Flexibility is another essential feature of modern C-UAS systems. Exhibitors such as Trust Automation are showcasing modular systems like the Small-Unmanned Air Defense System (SUADS), which can be rapidly deployed in both fixed-base and mobile operations. These solutions are built to adapt to different mission needs—from protecting military convoys on the move to securing remote outposts or urban areas.
Operational Challenges and Real-World Applications
The capabilities displayed at AUSA 2025 are a direct response to operational challenges faced by U.S. and allied forces. The growing use of drone swarms—where dozens of small UAS coordinate attacks—demands fast, scalable defenses. Joint Army experiments have simulated such scenarios, validating systems that can detect and defeat 40+ drones simultaneously. Moreover, the widespread availability of low-cost commercial drones has made them accessible to insurgents, criminal groups, and hostile state actors alike. This increases the need for adaptable, rules-of-engagement-sensitive defenses that work across all theaters of operation.
Key challenges these technologies aim to overcome include:
Detection of low-observable drones with small radar cross-sections
Minimizing collateral damage through non-kinetic defeat methods
Integration with existing air defense networks
Rapid deployment and mobility for front-line and field use
Scalability for swarm defense and large area coverage
Complexity and support (and in the case of jammers and lasers, adequate electrical power/recharging)
Training and integration in current-day forces
The Way Ahead
The US Army is on the right path in seeking solutions to drone-based warfare. But the road ahead is strewn with many potholes, especially if cheap drones become more stealthy and utilize autonomous guidance and target detection. The Russians, for example, have recently modernized their Geran-2 drone incorporating some artificial intelligence capability and sensor integration allowing the drone to go after individual enemy targets such as machine-gun nests and other visually identifiable aimpoints. Recovered Russian drones were found stuffed with US and allied components, including a NVIDIA chipset. Current sanctions and other measures cannot keep up with technology proliferation, and US Army solutions will need to come up with smart solutions that keep pace with battlefield evolution and innovation.
If the US Army was fighting in Ukraine today, it would not have a full capability to deal with drone threats. It is obvious there is a need to move far more quickly and smartly.
Most of our stuff that we sent to Ukraine in the last 4 years hasn't worked that great (the list is long). Why do I have a bad feeling about this latest wunderwaffe.
Assessment of what can be made in the USA or allied countries? Which weapon systems require materials from China-dominated industries such as rare earth magnets, mature-node chips, wideband-gap semiconductors, nitrocellulose fiber, etc?