The targeted attacks from small UAS against military bases, facilities and installations pose a major threat to ground forces nationally and internationally. The goal is to protect the three operating environments, Homeland, Host nations, and Contingency locations. The most recent attacks brought to light in the mainstream media and online social media are from attacks in war zones like Syria and Iraq targeting US military forces. Much to be learned from the current use of UAS and C-UAS in the Russia-Ukraine war.

These headline news stories indicate a substantial increase in small drone attacks and their efficiency and abilities to reach their targets and cause damage to military infrastructures successfully. To name a few, the enemy uses such drones for intelligence gathering, engaging ground forces, and investigating bomb damage assessment.

The UAS sophistication of enemy forces grows rapidly and increasingly able to reach ground forces and breach installations. The following counter-drone systems have been chosen by the army forces to detect, track, identify, and destroy enemy UAS.

The DoD, the DOT&E (Director, Operational Test & Evaluation), in collaboration with the Combatant Commands, Service representatives, and the JDAT (Joint Deployable Analysis Team), assessed all C-sUAS (counter small unmanned aircraft systems) and approved three main categories of C-sUAS listed below.

Source: dote.osd.mil

Process

The C-sUAS category table indicates as well the various methods of detection and defeating threatening drones. They are designed to detect, track, identify, defeat, and disable small unmanned aircraft systems (sUAS). Considering only single and multiple UAS threats from Group 1 type of off-the-shelf sUAS at under 20 pounds. Radars, radio frequency scanners, and electro-optical and infrared cameras are the most common detection methods. The most common way to disable communication of a malicious drone is by jamming the RF control and video link back to the drone’s operator. Jamming or spoofing the drone’s GNSS GPS coordinates. Disabling the UAS can be done by laser, projectile or in-flight interception.

Assessment

Ground forces engaging in a C-UAS mission will detect, track and identify the proximity of a UAS and provide the command and control with relevant information to take action and complete the mission to reduce the threat or neutralise the danger.

Fixed or semi-fixed systems are large defense systems in a military base environment and are mostly used as an additional tool to an overall facility defense strategy.

Mounted or Mobile Systems are easily deployed and adaptable to specific environments. Such a platform can be positioned at will when and where ground forces need it.

Handheld or Soldier-Worn Systems are used for short-range missions independently or as part of a larger fixed-site system.

Objective

The US Army’s strategic objectives require all departments to work together to achieve an overall plan to provide the tools, training and capacity to handle any UAS threats in all three operating environments.

Empower all forces through practical training and deployment to protect all personnel, assets, and facilities. Partner with solution providers to develop internal processes to securely execute assigned missions and counter enemy attempts to disrupt our objectives. Increase allies’ relationships and partners to protect the nation’s interest.

Budget

In May 2022, the US Congressional research service published the yearly budget of the Department of Defense, which plans to spend at least $668 million on counter-UAS (C-UAS) research and development and about $78 million on C-UAS procurement.

The fiscal year 2021 allocated $33.1 million and in 2022 $34.7 million for test centers to provide cUAS capabilities to detect, track, identify and collect data on hostile UAS. Command, Control, Communications, and Computers Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance facilities support and data management tools.

Conclusion

The DoD has empowered the Army to continuously develop and deploy counter-UAS capabilities. The integration of high-power microwaves is one of the planned implementations in the counter-drone swarm force. The Army-led Joint Counter Small Unmanned Aircraft Office (JCO) is creating a ‘low-collateral effects interceptor’ to face counter-sUAS systems. A prototype will be available from the third quarter of 2023. The Army in coordination with the Air Force are together committed to reach laser capabilities of 100 kW and reach up to 250-300 kW. These tools are of a vital importance given the recent events affecting the military forces nationally and internationally. Current testing, research and development on various innovations shows a promising future in terms of tools efficiency and accuracy. Improving current technologies and emphasizing on emerging technologies are of the essence.

HLS.Today Source: HLS.Today

Effective border security and timely information-sharing at the national, regional and international level are key in preventing the movement of terrorists and terrorist groups and to the effective implementation of counter-terrorism measures pursuant to Security Council resolution 1373 (2001) and other relevant Council resolutions. Border security is the first line of defence against the illegal cross-border movement of terrorists, including foreign terrorist fighters (FTFs), goods and cargo.

Maintaining secure air, land and maritime borders is a challenge faced by all Member States. In their efforts to protect their air borders, many States struggle to ensure basic aviation-security measures, including the screening of goods and the cross-checking of travellers against national and international counter-terrorism watch lists and databases. This requires financial and human resources, equipment, specific regulations, and specialist skills, as well as intra-State and inter-State cooperation. Security Council resolution 2309 (2016) was the first resolution to focus specifically on terrorist threats to civil aviation. It highlights a number of steps which should be prioritized by Member States in order to strengthen their implementation of security-related International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs), including forging better coordination among their related domestic departments and agencies. In 2017, the Council adopted its resolution 2396, in which it welcomed ICAO’s approval of the Global Aviation Security Plan (GASeP).

Land borders can be very lengthy and porous and thus difficult to monitor. Border security includes controls on the movement of people and goods across borders, as well as the prevention of unlawful interference in maritime navigation and international cargo movement. Maintaining secure maritime borders and policing sea and coastal areas requires a high level of technical capacity and resources in order to effectively patrol vast marine spaces and maintain a presence at physical borders and checkpoints. Special measures to enhance maritime security are also set forth in the International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code, which is a mandatory instrument for the contracting parties to the 1974 Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) Convention. The aim of the ISPS Code is to ensure that the applicable ocean-going vessels and port facilities of International Maritime Organization (IMO) member States are implementing the highest possible standards of security, according to a system of survey, verification, and control.

Border security is a top priority for governments worldwide

As it enables them to protect their country, citizens, residents and third-country visitors. Whether at land, air or sea borders, legal border crossing should happen with ease, while illegal crossings need to be prevented. IDEMIA provides an interoperable, fully scalable suite of products and services that help governments design their border control solution. Our biometric technologies identify with certainty every person crossing the border and help officers quickly determine if a person should be allowed into the country or not. We currently serve more than 30 border control agencies worldwide.

Person-centric border security management

IDEMIA’s border security management systems are no longer based on a document-centric approach, but rather focus on a person-centric approach. Putting the traveler at the center, allows border guards to make decisions based on the complete traveler profile. Crucial to this is the use of biometric technology, which can accurately identify an individual in mere seconds, guaranteeing a high level of security without increasing processing time.

Secure, automated border crossing points

At border crossing points, travelers should feel secure, while experiencing a fast and convenient process. IDEMIA’s walk-through, touchless, at-a-distance and non-intrusive biometric systems permit fast, highly reliable and frictionless identity checks.

For identity checks to be 100% undisputable, the quality of the data captured, the reliability of the equipment and the quality of the algorithms has to be optimal. It is essential for the border security equipment to be adapted to the infrastructure, environment and population (including group and family processing) where it is deployed. In addition to self-service solutions like eGates or kiosks, border guard-attended counters remain necessary. With IDEMIA’s automated border security solutions, border guards can focus on preventing illegitimate border crossings. They can also help bona fide travelers who may need assistance to complete the necessary identity checks.

International Organization for Migration (IOM)

As the leading intergovernmental organization in the field of migration, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) is increasingly called upon by Member States to assist in addressing complex migration and border management challenges in order to maintain the delicate balance between the facilitation of cross-border movements, while upholding border security and protecting migrants’ rights.

IOM provides technical assistance and capacity building interventions to help States respond to and mitigate threats at their borders. IOM assists agencies working on border security to improve their institutional and human resource capacities, while enhancing cooperation at the intra-service, inter-agency and international levels to increase information-sharing and streamlining of operations.

Border Security

Protecting our borders from the illegal movement of weapons, drugs, contraband, and people, while promoting lawful entry and exit, is essential to homeland security, economic prosperity, and national sovereignty.

America shares 7,000 miles of land border with Canada and Mexico, as well as rivers, lakes and coastal waters around the country. These borders are important economic gateways that account for trillions of dollars in trade and travel each year. They are also home to some of our nation’s largest — and safest — cities and communities.

A top priority for DHS is to keep terrorists and their weapons from entering the U.S. while welcoming all legitimate travelers and commerce. DHS Officers and Agents enforce all applicable U.S. laws, including against illegal immigration, narcotics smuggling, and illegal importation. DHS deploys highly trained law enforcement personnel who apprehend more than 1,000 individuals each day for suspected violations of U.S. laws at and between our ports of entry.

Border Control

Border control refers to measures taken by governments to monitor and regulate the movement of people, animals, and goods across land, air, and maritime borders. While border control is typically associated with international borders, it also encompasses controls imposed on internal borders within a single state.

Border control measures serve a variety of purposes, ranging from enforcing customs, sanitary and phytosanitary, or biosecurity regulations to restricting migration. While some borders (including most states’ internal borders and international borders within the Schengen Area) are open and completely unguarded, others (including the vast majority of borders between countries as well as some internal borders) are subject to some degree of control and may be crossed legally only at designated checkpoints. Border controls in the 21st century are tightly intertwined with intricate systems of travel documents, visas, and increasingly complex policies that vary between countries.

HLS.Today Source: UN.ORG  IOM.INT  DHS.GOV  WIKI.ORG

FEMA is comprised of:

• Headquarters in Washington, D.C. where the Office of the Administrator and various program offices are located.
• Ten regional offices that work directly with states, territories and tribes.
• Field offices that manage disaster response and recovery in disaster locations.
• Various warehouses and staging areas throughout the country.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) employs more than 20,000 people nationwide. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., we have 10 regional offices located across the country. We leverage a tremendous capacity to coordinate within the federal government to make sure America is equipped to prepare for and respond to disasters.

Mission, Values and History

Our Mission

FEMA’s mission is helping people before, during and after disasters, and our core values and goals help us achieve it.

Strategic Plan

The goals and objectives laid out in the 2022-2026 Strategic Plan will help ensure success for our agency, the emergency management community, and those we serve. The Plan outlines three bold, ambitious goals to meet this challenge:

• Instill equity as a foundation of emergency management
• Lead whole of community in climate resilience
• Promote and sustain a ready FEMA and prepared nation

Core Values

The core values that guide our agency can be found in our capstone doctrine, “We Are FEMA”. Helps us understand our role in the emergency management community and gives our agency direction in how we conduct ourselves each day.

History of FEMA

FEMA was officially created in 1979 through an executive order by President Jimmy Carter. Our history can be traced as far back as 1803. On March 1, 2003, FEMA became part of the Department of Homeland Security.

HLS.Today Source: FEMA.GOV

Helping When Disaster Strikes

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is responsible for preparing for disasters and responding to disasters when and if they happen. Whether it is the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the U.S. Coast Guard, or Customs and Border Protection, DHS makes sure that communities across the country have what they need to prepare for and respond to emergencies of all kinds.

Whether it’s a hurricane, an earthquake, a flood, or a terrorist attack—when an emergency happens DHS is there, working side-by-side with local leaders and residents to help communities respond and recover.

Help Communities Plan and Prepare
Imagine a world where a terrorist attack or natural disaster causes little damage, no deaths, and only a few injuries. This is the future DHS is aiming for. How are they doing it? By helping communities make smart decisions now that will help stop or reduce damage from future emergencies.

Respond During Emergencies Search and Rescue
When the going gets tough, DHS is always there. When Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans in 2005 and caused lots of Americans to be trapped by rising water, DHS was there to help. Using Coast Guard helicopters and boats, hundreds of people were rescued from roof tops or other places they used trying to escape the water. No matter what or where the emergency is, when disaster strikes, DHS will be there to help save lives.

Provide Support – Food, Shelter, and Money
A big disaster, such as a hurricane, might leave hundreds or even thousands of people without a house to live in or food to eat. DHS to the rescue! DHS works with state and local governments and other relief agencies like the American Red Cross and The Salvation Army to provide food and help people find places to live. DHS also gives out millions of dollars to help people fix or rebuild their damaged houses.

Protecting Our Economy

The economy is made up of buyers and sellers and includes all the things that we make in our factories and sell to other countries, and the things we buy from other countries. It also includes things we buy from and sell to each other, like trucks and trains that move stuff from factories to stores, farms that grow the food we eat, and boats and planes that take things we make to other countries. The economy includes jobs we have and money we have in the bank. Everything we make, or buy, or sell, or do, is part of the economy. One of the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) biggest jobs is to protect this country’s economy. Here are some of the ways it does that.

Enforce Our Trade Laws
Trade laws help make sure that everybody plays by the rules when it comes to buying and selling things. Some businesses might try to sell fake products, or try not to pay the taxes they owe, or maybe steal some business secrets. DHS checks the things (called goods) coming into and going out of the U.S. to make sure they are safe and ensure that businesses follow the rules.

Guard Our Transportation System
The economy depends on the transportation system—the planes, trains, boats, cars, trucks, subways, and other things—that move people and the things we buy and sell around. DHS works with other government agencies to protect the train stations, airports, bridges, ports, and highways to make sure the economy keeps moving.

Patrol Our Rivers, Lakes, and Oceans
Lots of goods move aboard ships and big flat-bottomed boats, called barges. The U.S. Coast Guard is the part of DHS that keeps our waterways safe and open for business. The Coast Guard patrols our rivers, lakes, and oceans with small boats, big ships, planes, and helicopters. They guard our coasts to make sure nobody tries to sneak drugs, other bad things, or people into our country. The Coast Guard takes care of light houses, buoys, and other navigation devices. They use icebreakers to keep frozen waterways open. DHS rescues people from sinking boats or natural disasters and enforces laws on the waters near the United States. The Coast Guard also protects fish, manatees, whales, and other marine life from polluters, illegal fishing, and other threats.

Protecting U.S. Borders

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) protects our country’s borders and manages the flow of people and products into and out of the United States. Here are some of the ways they do this.

Protect and Manage Air, Land, and Water Borders
DHS guards our land borders with Canada and Mexico, and patrols our coasts including the Atlantic, Pacific, and Arctic oceans, as well as the Gulf of Mexico. They also guard our ‘borders in the air’ at each airport where planes from foreign countries land. Whether it’s a Customs and Border Patrol agent on horseback, a Coast Guard member on a boat, or a Transportation Safety Administration employee at an airport, DHS employees are working to protect our borders.

Work Around the Globe to Secure the Nation
While its agents patrol the land border and shoreline, other teams of DHS employees are working to stop criminals and illegal activity before reaching the United States. DHS partners with other countries and international law enforcement organizations to identify, research, and restrict criminals who live outside of the United States and try to smuggle drugs, people, or conduct other illegal activities within the United States.

Enforce U.S. Immigration Laws
DHS employees enforce the law, including immigration laws, to make sure that only U.S. citizens and visitors with permission live in the United States. They make sure that travelers who are visiting here go home when they are supposed to, and they make sure that people who aren’t supposed to be here are safely returned to their country.

Manages Immigration Benefits for New Citizens
DHS works hard to make sure people from other countries who want to come to the United States follow the right steps to live in or visit the United States legally. If immigrants and visitors follow the correct process, DHS helps to make sure that they have the same rights and benefits as the rest of us.

Securing Cyberspace and Critical Infrastructure

Computers are everywhere in modern life (in case you forgot, you’re using one now.) Computers are used to control what’s called ‘Critical Infrastructure’ – a fancy way of saying ‘important things,’ like our water supply and our electricity. Computers and the networks that connect them are sometimes called ‘cyberspace,’ and cyberspace contains lots of information that criminals would like to steal if they could. Protecting cyberspace is called ‘cybersecurity,’ and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has got it covered!

CISA, which stands for the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, is in charge of protecting the United States from attacks on our important, computer-connected things—our critical infrastructure. Here are some of the ways DHS protects our computers and the information they hold.

Protect the Government’s Computer Networks
The U.S. Government is big, and so are the computer networks that it uses. These networks store important information about laws and government programs, and even secret information about special government operations. It’s the duty of DHS to protect government computer networks from cybercriminals who want to steal, erase, or corrupt the information stored on them.

Strengthen the Security of Critical Infrastructure
Nuclear power plants, water treatment facilities, and cell phone and Internet service providers all operate powerful equipment that is connected to large computer networks. DHS works with these businesses to show them how to make their networks and equipment more secure.

Study the Latest Technology for Risks
DHS is constantly studying and testing the latest technology to try to find out if that technology has any weaknesses that criminals might use to attack us or steal from us, and then try to fix those problems before anything happens. They work with the best scientists and experts in both government and business to try to keep our networks and information safe.

HLS.Today Source: DHS.GOV