Joint Interagency Task Force 401 recently supported the Army's assessment of emerging counter-unmanned aerial system capabilities during Project Flytrap 5.0, a training exercise currently underway in Lithuania.
Led by the Army's V Corps, Project Flytrap 5.0 is a multinational exercise that brings together U.S. and allied forces, including the United Kingdom and Australia, alongside industry partners to assess emerging counter-UAS technology. The exercise evaluated performance, interoperability and the tactical employment of more than 20 different systems in an operational environment.
This year marks the first time the testing and evaluation standards established by JIATF 401 were applied, ensuring that the performance data collected from the systems evaluated is available to all services and other government agencies that have joined the task force.
During the exercise, a ground team from the Army's Combat Capabilities Development Command supported instrumented data collection and analysis to evaluate system performance. By pairing data-driven testing with operator feedback, the assessment helped identify how emerging counter-UAS capabilities will perform in realistic environments.
Task force leaders were on the ground to observe the exercise and hear directly from soldiers employing the systems.
"Being here allows us to see firsthand not only how the technology is integrated but how it can be utilized in an operational environment," said Army Col. Sam Kline, JIATF 401 response team director. "This investment provides testing data and operator feedback, enabling us to improve technology in real time and deliver top-tier counter-UAS capabilities to our warfighters."
Project Flytrap 5.0 also evaluated the integration of the integrated battle command system – maneuver, the common tactical user interface that enables integration across the command-and-control framework for counter-UAS. By combining live testing, instrumented data collection and field assessments, the exercise helped inform which technologies could support integrated, layered counter-UAS operations.
"Flytrap 5.0 demonstrates how investing in both advanced systems and thorough testing drives operational success," said Army Brig. Gen. Matt Ross, JIATF 401 director. "By validating emerging counter-drone technologies in an operational environment, we can inform future counter-UAS capabilities and respond to the rapidly evolving threat of drones."