U.S. military installations are currently ill-equipped to defend against drone swarms, according to a senior commander responsible for North American air defense. Lieutenant General Joseph Jarrard, deputy commander of U.S. Northern Command (NORTHCOM) and vice commander of the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD), stated that some bases lack the necessary sensors to detect and track incoming swarms, as well as the weapons systems to neutralize them.
"We don’t have the sensors, and depending on where that swarm is going to attack, it depends on whether we have any sensors at all, and also whether we’ve got any effectors to go after that problem," Jarrard said at the annual Space and Missile Defense Symposium. He emphasized that detection remains the most significant challenge, underscoring the need for interoperability between military systems and those operated by civilian agencies protecting critical infrastructure off base.
NORTHCOM is incorporating counter-drone tactics into Operation Noble Eagle, the homeland air defense mission. Currently, NORAD relies on its existing radar systems and is working to establish connections with local law enforcement and other agencies that possess detection capabilities beyond military installations. The widespread use of cheap, expendable one-way attack drones in global conflicts like those in Ukraine and the Middle East has fundamentally altered battlefield dynamics, allowing adversaries to threaten military assets and personnel without employing traditional, high-cost munitions.
Jarrard's assessment arrives as the Pentagon is seeking substantial funding for new counter-drone technologies. In July, Army acquisition chief Lt. Gen. Frank Lozano noted significant promise in high-energy laser systems during testing at White Sands Missile Range. The Army is nearing a contract award for its Enduring High Energy Laser (E-HEL) program, which could provide a permanent operational capability for such systems. While lasers offer a potential solution for engaging drones within a defended area without expending costly missiles, they are limited by their line-of-sight nature and require integration with comprehensive sensor and command-and-control networks.
This vulnerability was also highlighted in May by NORTHCOM commander Gen. Gregory Guillot, who noted a lack of adequate counter-drone tools for troops along the southern border. In response, the Pentagon has requested approximately $21 billion for drone-related capabilities, including counter-drone weapons and munitions, to address these deficiencies.
The broader discussion of unidentified aerial phenomena (UAPs) observed near U.S. military sites, recently raised by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, adds another layer to the concern. Rubio stated that the government must seriously investigate reports of unidentified objects flying over military installations that do not belong to the U.S. While Jarrard's comments focused on the more immediate and practical threat of recognizable drone swarms, both officials' remarks point to a common concern: the need to identify and counter airborne threats, whether conventional or unexplained.