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DHS S&T partnered with industry at the Choctaw Nation testbed for its fourth annual evaluation of counter-drone mitigation systems, with an emphasis on kinetic interceptors, entanglement, and directed energy capabilities.
STRINGTOWN, Okla. – The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) conducted a rigorous two-week demonstration and evaluation of advanced Counter-Unmanned Aircraft Systems (C-UAS) technologies spanning November 3-13, 2026.
Held for the first time at the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma Emerging Aviation Technology Center (EATC), an FAA-designated UAS testbed championed by Secretary of Homeland Security Markwayne Mullin during his service in the U.S. Senate, the event focused on assessing commercial technologies capable of defeating illicit drone threats to critical infrastructure, border security operations, and large events.
As small, unmanned aircraft systems become increasingly sophisticated, S&T remains focused on evaluating technologies that can help protect critical infrastructure, support border security operations, and enhance security for major events.
The Kinetic IV test evaluated multiple C-UAS mitigation approaches, including kinetic interceptors designed to collide with or capture targets, entanglement systems that deploy nets to capture or ensnare drone rotors, and directed-energy weapons capable of disabling drone electronics to neutralize single threats or multi-drone swarms.
This year’s event marks S&T’s fourth consecutive year of executing this critical C-UAS mitigation test series. The demonstration built on lessons learned from prior test and evaluation activities and will help inform DHS planning for future security needs, including major national events.
“Protecting the homeland requires strong partnerships and a shared commitment to innovation. DHS is working with state, local, tribal, and territorial partners, industry, and international allies to evaluate technologies that can address the evolving threat posed by unmanned systems,” said Secretary of Homeland Security Markwayne Mullin. “I am especially proud that the Choctaw Nation’s Emerging Aviation Technology Center is hosting this critical work and helping drive innovation that protects the American people.”
“The rapid proliferation and technological evolution of unmanned systems demand that we continuously adapt our defensive capabilities,” said Pedro Allende, Under Secretary for Science and Technology. “By working closely with industry, S&T provides a rigorous environment for evaluating promising technologies against DHS operational needs. This collaborative approach helps identify effective capabilities and supports the delivery of practical tools to homeland security operators.”
“Safety and security are not competing priorities. Testing like this is critical because it allows the FAA and our federal partners to evaluate counter-drone technologies in a real-world environment, understand how they operate and identify potential impacts to the National Airspace System before deployment,” said Acting FAA Deputy Administrator Liam McKenna. “We are committed to working with our federal partners to advance these capabilities with urgency while ensuring appropriate safety mitigations are in place to protect the airspace.”
Over the two-week demonstration, technical experts from across government, industry, and international partners evaluated 11 commercial vendors on critical operational metrics, including system effectiveness, reliability, operational suitability, setup time, ease of deployment, and collateral effects. International partners also joined to share unique operational insights and discuss collaborative test and evaluation frameworks, underscoring how global cooperation accelerates innovation and strengthens our collective ability to validate and deploy effective counter-drone capabilities. Enhanced coordination establishes vital channels for the rapid exchange of intelligence regarding global security threats.
The data gathered during the November testing sequence will inform federal procurement strategies, ensuring that DHS Operational Components are equipped with mission-critical defensive countermeasures to secure our borders and protect national airspace.
For more information on S&T’s ongoing C-UAS initiatives, visit the DHS Counter-UAS Research and Development page.
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