OTIS AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, Mass. – The Emergency Management Office at the 102nd Intelligence Wing facilitated Drone Awareness and Threat Picture (DATP) training May 2 on Otis Air National Guard Base.
“I attended the in-residence Drone Assessment and Response Tactics (DART) course in June in Socorro, New Mexico, and was impressed with the depth of the course,” said Joel Ferguson, 102nd IW emergency manager. “With the recent unmanned aircraft system sightings all over the country, the need to train military and community first responders in detection, identification, tracking and reporting is important.”
The goal of the training was to provide emergency personnel with the knowledge and skills necessary to detect, identify, track, assess, respond to and report unmanned aircraft system (UAS) activity. The training aligns with the National Domestic Preparedness Consortium (NDPC).
“Under direction from my squadron commander, I developed the DAPT course to reinforce the DART training and give Airmen, specifically civil engineers and logistics readiness personnel, a general idea of what is being used against us today and how to detect, track and report to the proper authorities, specifically security forces,” Ferguson said.
Participants in the DART training included emergency managers, security forces and intelligence personnel. Attendees represented the 102nd Intelligence Wing of the Massachusetts Air National Guard, 143rd Airlift Wing of the Rhode Island National Guard, 6th Space Warning Squadron from Cape Cod Space Force Base, as well as Soldiers from the Massachusetts Army National Guard and Coast Guard personnel from U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) Sector Southeastern New England Enforcement and USCG Port Security Unit 301.
Community partners from Barnstable County Emergency Management and first responders from the North Shore, South Shore, Cape Cod and the islands also participated. Also attending were SWAT drone teams from the Metropolitan Law Enforcement Council (MetroLEC), Southeastern Massachusetts Law Enforcement Council (SMLEC) and Cape Cod Regional Law Enforcement Council (CCRLEC).
“We host NDPC Mobile Delivery courses regularly on Joint Base Cape Cod to give our members and community partners cutting-edge training with regard to emergency management, law enforcement and anti-terrorism,” Ferguson said. “This particular training was tailored to fit into an eight-hour course and highlight detection, tracking and reporting skills.”
Attendees learned to recognize UAS uses and components and the threat posed by the criminal and terrorist use of commercially available UAS technology.
Recent reports of unauthorized drone sightings near sensitive U.S. military installations and critical infrastructure have raised national security concerns. These incidents highlight vulnerabilities to potential surveillance, espionage or even weaponized drone attacks and emphasize the need for enhanced counter-drone technology and training programs for military and law enforcement personnel to effectively detect, identify and neutralize drone threats, safeguarding national assets and preventing potential harm.
The training used real-world examples of drone attacks. Examples included a 2011 case where a U.S. citizen attempted to load C-4 explosive onto a remote-controlled model airplane and planned to use GPS to guide it into two federal buildings. Another case study involved an individual who attempted to use a UAS quadcopter to drop improvised explosive devices onto members of a town select board. No injuries resulted in either case.
Feedback on the courses was positive, and plans are underway to offer the training again.
“All participants felt the information gleaned from the courses was beneficial,” Ferguson said. “We will offer DART again due to the response. DATP will be offered to other units in the wing, as well as to our USCG and Army National Guard counterparts, in addition to our community partners.”
This training enhances the region’s preparedness for drone-related incidents and has prepared agencies, specifically on the upper Cape, to respond to unlawful or dangerous drone operations. Drone technology and availability are increasing every year, and the ability to respond needs to keep pace.
“DART was offered from a military standpoint to Air National Guard and U.S. Air Force security forces and emergency management, and to U.S. Coast Guard law enforcement. From a community standpoint, it was offered to first responders, emergency management, and MetroLEC, SEMLEC and CCRLEC drone team operators for local knowledge,” Ferguson said.
The National Guard’s commitment to the safety and security of our communities is strengthened through partnerships with local organizations and leaders. Collaborative training, such as DART and DATP, reinforces these bonds.
“Other Air National Guard and emergency management agencies should take advantage of NDPC mobile delivery courses,” Ferguson said. “They are no-cost and provide cutting-edge training on current threats and management skills. Second only to the content is the networking opportunity these training courses provide. Units that network with their community partners create an invaluable resource if – and more specifically, when – a man-made disaster strikes.”
Whether responding to natural disasters, supporting civil authorities or providing essential resources, collaborative efforts ensure the ability to effectively meet the needs of the people served. This teamwork exemplifies the dedication of both the National Guard and community partners to build a more resilient and secure nation.