Pentagon still lacks tools to counter drone threats at US bases, lawmakers warn

Despite recent steps to enhance base defences, Pentagon officials told Congress on April 29 that the military still lacks the ability to fully detect, track, and neutralise hostile drones, referencing incidents like the 17-day drone breach at Langley Air Force Base in December 2023 that led to the relocation of F-22 fighters.

“There were over 350 detections of drones at 100 different military installations last year alone,” said Rep. William Timmons (R-S.C.), stressing that these are not random incursions but a “coordinated effort by our adversaries to collect valuable intelligence”, Caliber.Az reports, citing American media.

He criticised the military's “inadequate or nonexistent monitoring capabilities.”

Mark Ditlevson, acting assistant secretary of defence for Homeland Defence and Hemispheric Affairs, acknowledged that the Pentagon is working with the Joint Rapid Acquisition Cell to quickly equip base commanders with better tools to detect and respond to drone threats, including both non-kinetic and kinetic options. Still, he admitted that applying those counter-UAS systems in the homeland is more complex than in war zones, due to the risks of collateral damage like interference with emergency communications.

Rear Adm. Paul Spederol of the Joint Chiefs of Staff conceded that drone technology has “far outpaced” counter-drone capabilities. “Fully autonomous drones that don’t rely on GPS signals are extremely difficult to intercept,” he said. Spederol emphasised the need for cross-agency cooperation and new demand signals to drive industry innovation.

Responding to Rep. Suhas Subramanyam (D-Va.), Spederol confirmed significant capability gaps in developing both kinetic and non-kinetic technologies to engage drones. “The tech many commanders have is not sufficient,” he said, adding that “domain awareness sensors” are critical to building a layered detection network. He noted the military is currently deploying “flyaway kits” to bases with limited detection capabilities, though commanders must request them from U.S. Northern Command.

Rep. Michael Cloud (R-Texas) questioned defence budget priorities, highlighting a disparity: “We’re spending about $22 billion on fighter jets and maybe $1 billion on drone and counter-drone tech. We’re spending $800 billion on defence, and we can’t shoot a drone down.”

Pentagon officials maintained that efforts to close these gaps are underway, but admitted the challenge remains urgent and unresolved.

By Tamilla Hasanova