The US had so many F-16s it turned some into target drones. No longer the era of the Firebee, the QF-16 was flown at Holloman Air Force Base in 2017 as part of the 82nd Aerial Targets Squadron. "Piloted the drone during the first flight at Holloman since the transition from QF-4 Phantoms to QF-16s."
Category: USA
San Antonio 2016: US forces learn to counter UAVs
A unit of the US Air Force decided to drill against drones in 2016 in San Antonio with the 25th Air Force. The training apparently came as a result of a real incident where a small surveillance drone was rigged with an IED so that it injured local forces that picked it up. "Due to …
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US forces used nets to take down drones
Back in 2016 when everyone was experimenting with how to confront the emerging drone threats, US forces at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio used a counter-UAS system with a net to snare a DJI S1000 drone. This was par of the "2016 Air Force Research Laboratory Commanders Challenge at the Nevada National Security Site, …
Manned and un-manned teaming for the first time?
A drill by the Combat Aviation Brigade’s 3rd Squadron, 6th Cavalry Regiment "became the first Army aviation unit to perform a manned-unmanned teaming tactical exercise using its own Shadow (version 2) drones during an exercise dubbed 'Operation Heavy Shadow' that was performed April 21-23, 2015 in the desert of Fort Bliss." The training used Apache …
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The White Sands 2015 test that predicted drone swarms
In 2015 at White Sands Missile Range the US predicted the drone swarm threat. It's not clear the lessons were learned. Tthe report noted "in this season's Network Integration Evaluation taking place on White Sands Missile Range and Fort Bliss, coordinated units of remotely operated and automated aircraft will be used to represent a possible …
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In 2015 the US army thought drones might deliver food
Back in 2015 an industrial design team used UAVs to operate at the US Army Combined Arms Support Command a Fort Lee. Delivered and developed by the DoD the Soldier Aerial Mobility Vehicle Project foresaw UAVs delivering 800lb payloads up to 125 miles. What ever became of this project is unclear.
US Patriot PAC-2 missiles can defend against drones
The US Patriot battery PAC-2 missiles can be used agains drones. A unit at Al-Udeid in 2015 made this clear when it was noted that it could defend against "tactical ballistic missiles and drones."
Check out the experimental X-47
By SETH J. FRANTZMAN The secretive and stealthy X-47 can be seen on videos from 2013. That year "the U.S. Navy has carried out the first successful catapult launch of an unmanned aircraft from a carrier deck." It was done on the George H.W Bush carrier. The futuristic drone looked like something from a movie. …
Welcome to the Tiger Shark
The Tiger Shark is shown in 2011 during a drill. It was first delivered in 2006 and carried out 4,000 missions and 20,000 flight hours. 'The Tiger Shark UAV is the result of a rapid deployment effort by the Naval Air Systems Command special surveillance program to fulfill urgent operational needs." Later another drone will …
The US Gray Eagle was deployed to Iraq in 2010
By SETH J. FRANTZMAN A search through the photo archives of the Department of Defense reveals a photo of drones being deployed to Iraq in 2010. "Gray Eagle unmanned aircraft makes its way down an airfield on Camp Taji, Iraq, before a surveillance mission in the Baghdad area. F Company, “FENIX,” will become an official …
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Drone Wars: The book 