U.S. Military Tests Low-Cost Drone Defenses After 378 Border Incursions in 30 Days

The U.S. military is evaluating layered counter-drone defenses after detecting 378 drone incursions along the U.S.-Mexico border in a 30-day period. Falcon Peak 26.2 at Yuma Proving Ground brought together radars, interceptor drones and automated gun systems, including the Bullfrog M240, to assess detection, tracking and engagement against small unmanned aircraft. The effort focuses on homeland operations, where military protection must account for populated areas and civilian airspace. The trials assess combinations of lower-cost sensors and effectors rather than establish a completed operational architecture, and published reporting does not provide comparative interception results.