Guest post: “How to Protect the United States Against Drones: Why Securing the Sky is Not Enough” – Lawfire
AI Analysis
This article highlights the escalating drone threat to both U.S. military operations abroad and critical infrastructure within the homeland. Experts argue that simply acquiring more counter-drone hardware is insufficient, emphasizing the need for comprehensive protection principles, policy alignment, and interagency cooperation. Recent incidents demonstrate a significant increase in drone activity near sensitive military installations.
Key Takeaways
- Iranian military utilized Shahed-136 drones in a large-scale attack against U.S. forces in Kuwait during 'Operation Epic Fury' in February/March 2026, resulting in casualties.
- Joint Base Langley-Eustis (JBLE) experienced drone disruptions in December 2023, forcing the relocation of F-22 Raptors.
- Over 100 U.S. military bases experienced several hundred drone detections in 2024.
- Barksdale Air Force Base experienced drone activity in March 2026, triggering a shelter-in-place order.
- USNORTHCOM Commander Gen. Guillot identifies rising drone use as a significant safety and security risk to critical infrastructure.
Why It Matters
The increasing frequency and sophistication of drone attacks demonstrate a clear evolution in modern warfare and a growing vulnerability of U.S. assets. The article underscores the need to move beyond reactive measures and adopt a proactive, multi-layered defense strategy involving policy changes and interagency collaboration. Failure to address this threat effectively could lead to further disruptions, casualties, and erosion of strategic advantage.
Guest post: “How to Protect the United States Against Drones: Why Securing the Sky is Not Enough” – Lawfire
- Drones/ Guest post
Guest post: “How to Protect the United States Against Drones: Why Securing the Sky is Not Enough”
by
· 14 May 2026
Drones have been the center of much discussion among security experts, and there are lots of ideas as to how to address them. Today we have a very thoughtful essay by Lt Col (Dr.) Paul Lushenko and Maj (Dr.) Joseph Amoroso, stategists with Joint Interagency Task Force (JIATF) 401, to help chart the way ahead. Speaking in their personal capacities, these experts offer a practical and realistic assessment. Here’s a sampling from their post:
Purchasing new hardware to interdict drones, which analysts often emphasize, is not enough to secure the sky. Rather, sustainable homeland defense against drones requires the adoption of protection principles, applicable to all vulnerable sites (military or otherwise), as well as an alignment of policies and authorities that reduce legal and jurisdictional friction across the U.S. military, federal agencies and departments, and local law enforcement.
This is definitely one you’ll want to read!
How to Protect the United States Against Drones: Why Securing the Sky is Not Enough
by Paul Lushenko and Joseph Amoroso
On February 28, 2026, the U.S. military launched Operation Epic Fury against Iran. The massive air campaign was designed to deter Iran’s pursuit of a nuclear weapon. Tehran’s response was predictable, informed by its strategic approach. The Iranian military launched thousands of ballistic missiles and Shahed-136 drones across the Middle East with the intent to regionalize the conflict and undermine U.S. resolve.
One of these salvos, launched on March 1, 2026, against a U.S. command center in Port Shuaiba, Kuwait, killed six U.S. soldiers. Analysts seized on this moment to proclaim a “ new era in drone warfare.”
Drones also increasingly threaten the U.S. homeland. In December 2023, dozens of drones disrupted operations at Joint Base Langley-Eustis (JBLE) in Virginia, forcing the relocation of F-22 Raptor jets responsible for defending the homeland. Following this incursion, New Jersey experienced “ mysterious” drone sightings in late 2024.
These sightings were characteristic of the several hundred detections in 2024 at over 100 military bases. More recently, in March 2026, there were multiple reports of drones operating over sensitive flight line areas at Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana, prompting a temporary shelter-in-place order.
These incidents suggest a broader trend. The threat of drones is no longer confined to distant battlefields. According to Air Force General Gregory Guillot, Commander of U.S. Northern Command, a staggering rise in drone use represents“a safety and security risk to military and other critical infrastructure.”
Together, these incidents raise concerns about the magnitude of effort required from the Department of