The Oklahoma National Guard staged its largest counter-drone exercise to date on September 13, as Soldiers of the 45th Infantry Brigade took part in Exercise Thunderstruck 2.0, a capstone event designed to test tactics for countering unmanned aerial threats.
The training brought together state leaders, industry representatives, active-duty personnel and emergency management officials to observe how units are adapting to drone warfare. Scenarios included a Chinook helicopter insertion, movement through wooded terrain and the clearance of a simulated enemy trench under multi-domain threats.
Maj. Gen. Thomas Mancino, Oklahoma’s adjutant general, described the effort as critical preparation for future conflicts:
“The purpose of Operation Thunderstruck is to place our Soldiers and Airmen in scenarios where they can experience drone warfare firsthand to develop the expertise needed on the future battlefield,” he said.
The exercise follows a July directive from the Pentagon titled Unleashing U.S. Military Drone Dominance, which called for the services to treat drone warfare as a core element of readiness.
Lt. Col. Brent Hill, who oversees the Guard’s counter-UAS and launched effects program, said the training reflects lessons from Ukraine:
“We are preparing for the future battlefield and constantly evolving, constantly learning,” Hill said.
Camp Gruber has expanded its infrastructure to support such efforts, including the construction of a trench-warfare lane modeled after positions seen in Ukraine. It is currently the only active trench training site in the National Guard. Work is also underway on a new complex dedicated to unmanned systems and launched effects, featuring operations centers, fabrication facilities and launch pads.
The Oklahoma Guard launched its UAS/Launched Effects Program in 2022 in partnership with state agencies, industry and academia. Earlier this year, it hosted Thunderstruck 1.0 as part of the same series. Looking ahead, the Guard plans Exercise Lightning Strike in April 2026, which will focus on drones in emergency response and domestic operations.
“Oklahoma is having an impact on issues of national and strategic importance,” Mancino said, noting support from state leadership in building what he called a “leading laboratory” for counter-drone development.
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Post Image Credit: Oklahoma National Guard
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