The US Air Force is working on its drone defenses, starting with AI and ending with shotguns
The US Air Force is developing a layered drone defense system that integrates AI for detection, electronic warfare for disruption, and kinetic weapons like shotguns for final interception. This approach aims to address the growing threat of small, uncrewed aerial systems.
Why it matters
As drone technology becomes more accessible, military forces are forced to innovate cost-effective, multi-layered defensive strategies to protect against aerial threats.
Airmen used AI systems to better detect potential drone threats and discern them from other aerial objects. US Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Ty Pilgrim US Air Force airmen have been testing out layered defenses against drones. AI helped detect and distinguish drones from birds and aircraft. Electronic warfare and shotguns added more layers of protection. US Air Force personnel recently trained on a layered approach to countering drones, using artificial intelligence to spot them, electronic warfare to disrupt them, and shotguns as a last line of defense. The recent exercise highlights the US military's growing focus on having a variety of kinetic and non-kinetic systems to defend against uncrewed aerial systems . It's a work in progress as the different services figure out which capabilities best fit their missions and what lessons can be shared across the force.
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