A recent report from the Washington DC-based think tank, Center for a New American Security (CNAS), has highlighted significant gaps in the U.S. military’s counter-drone capabilities amidst China’s rapid advancements in diverse and autonomous uncrewed systems. The study underscores a worrying trend: despite considerable defense spending by the Pentagon, the U.S. is lagging behind China in both the speed and scale of military preparedness, exposing critical vulnerabilities in potential conflict scenarios.
One of the core findings in the report reveals that many U.S. defense systems are designed primarily to neutralize singular threats, rendering them ineffective against emerging tactics such as drone swarms or mixed salvos that combine uncrewed aerial systems (UAS) and missiles. The report also notes that dedicated counter-drone technologies, including directed energy weapons and artificial intelligence-driven detection systems, are not adequately implemented across all branches of the military.
This is not an isolated concern; it follows earlier admissions by Pentagon officials regarding the inadequacies of U.S. defenses against drone threats. In 2025, several high-ranking military personnel acknowledged the vulnerabilities that have surfaced following unauthorized drone activities at U.S. military installations.
The authors of the CNAS report, Stacie Pettyjohn and Molly Campbell, stress the urgency for the Pentagon to shift its focus towards counter-drone defense measures. Their recommendations include the need for the military to prioritize the development and dissemination of best practices in counter-drone tactics while ensuring such capabilities are not confined solely to air defense units. Additionally, they advocate for more comprehensive testing of prototypes, warning against reliance on “unrealistic facsimiles” of enemy drones that could instill a “false sense of confidence” regarding their defensive capabilities.
To bolster the capabilities of the U.S. military in countering drone threats, Pettyjohn proposed several key measures. First, the modernization of weapon platforms is essential; an example of this is the U.S. Air Force’s recent integration of the Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System II (APKWS II) into F-15E Strike Eagle aircraft, specifically for counter-drone operations. For dealing with swarms and high-volume drone attacks, she emphasized the importance of high-power microwave weapons as a strategic advantage.
Moreover, jamming technologies can disable multiple drones; however, their effectiveness is limited by adversaries’ ability to alter frequencies. Pettyjohn advocates that high-powered microwave solutions, when supported by kinetic defenses, create a robust last line of defense against swarming tactics.
Furthermore, the report also mentions that the U.S. Army has recently received its first two mobile counter-drone laser prototypes, known as “LOCUST,” equipped with 20-kilowatt capabilities.
Lastly, the CNAS report calls for a heightened adoption of machine learning and artificial intelligence to accelerate the detection and engagement of threats, underscoring that U.S. allies, like Ukraine, have already begun implementing such advanced technologies against foes like Russia. The recommendations from CNAS paint a clear picture: strengthening counter-drone capabilities is paramount to maintaining military readiness in an evolving conflict landscape.
