Joint Interagency Task Force 401 (JIATF 401) and Joint Task Force National Capital Region (JTF-NCR) recently conducted a coordinated training exercise at Fort Belvoir, Virginia, aimed at enhancing C-UAS capabilities.
As part of the exercise, soldiers from the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment received specialized training on the Bumblebee V1 counter-UAS. The training supports broader efforts to strengthen layered defenses protecting key War Department infrastructure within the homeland. Instruction focused on improving soldiers’ ability to detect, track, identify, and defeat unmanned aerial systems while reducing risk to nearby personnel and facilities.
“We want to train our warfighters in the national capital region on how best to employ low-cost, low-collateral kinetic effectors,” said Army Lieutenant Colonel Alex Morse, JIATF 401 acquisition lead. “The training at Fort Belvoir adds to the layered defense systems that are set up here in the NCR.”
The Bumblebee system is a small drone currently undergoing operational assessment for dual use as both a reconnaissance tool and a counter-UAS platform. The system is designed to allow operators to identify and intercept hostile drones using controlled methods intended to limit collateral effects.
“Bumblebee’s improved air-to-air capability will enhance our layered defenses by enabling warfighters to follow drones back to their launch point to identify the operator, or by destroying them in the air with minimal risk to people or property on the ground,” said Army Lieutenant Colonel Adam Scher, JIATF 401 spokesperson.
JIATF 401 is focused on developing a layered approach to countering drone threats through the integration of multiple systems and the rapid expansion of operational capabilities. By coordinating with JTF-NCR, the task force is supporting a whole-of-government approach to homeland defense that emphasizes interoperability and innovation. The introduction of Bumblebee systems reflects an effort to expand the range of tools available to personnel addressing persistent UAS threats.
“Countering drones is both a battlefield and a homeland defense imperative. We have to work together, share information and leverage the entire joint force along with interagency and law enforcement partners to keep pace with this threat,” said Army Brigadier General Matt Ross, JIATF 401 director.
Officials noted that as unmanned threats continue to evolve, effective defense will rely not only on advanced technologies but also on comprehensive training and the appropriate authorities to employ counter-UAS capabilities in support of homeland protection.
“We will not be limited to library-based radio frequency defeat systems as we protect against drone threats,” Ross said. “We must be proactive with a layered defense, including kinetic defeat options at every War Department base or facility.”
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Image Credit: Army Spc. Thomas Dixon.
