Photo By Pfc. Dominic Atlas | U.S. Army Sgt. Daniel Joumas, a radar operator assigned to Headquarters and...... read more read more
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RIO GRANDE CITY, Texas – U.S. Soldiers deployed near Rio Grande City, are using combat-proven radar systems to monitor activity along the southern border, supporting federal agencies in detecting low-flying aerial threats and ground movement in high-traffic areas.
Assigned to the Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 10th Mountain Division Artillery, 10th Mountain Division, the target acquisition platoon—led by Capt. Christopher McNamara—is part of the broader Joint Task Force-Southern Border mission. The team’s primary role is to operate ground-based radars and feed critical intelligence to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).
“We’re here to support Customs and Border Protection in every capacity, and we’ve had a great time working with them,” McNamara said. “With the intel we gather, we make sure to supply them with information about things along the border so they can move and operate accordingly in their assigned sectors.”
Soldiers on McNamara’s team operate two primary systems: the AN/TPQ-53 Quick Reaction Capability Radar, used to identify the origin and impact points of indirect fire such as rockets and mortars, and the AN/MPQ-64 Sentinel radar system, which tracks low-flying aircraft and drone activity across wide areas. Though originally designed for use on the battlefield, both systems have been adapted for homeland defense.
The radar team’s mission has taken on new urgency as drone threats along the border continue to evolve. According to McNamara, CBP reports a massive increase in drone use for reconnaissance ahead of groups of illegal aliens attempting to cross the border and smugglers attempting to deliver narcotics, including drones spotted carrying small explosives.
The team monitors radar feeds in real time and works to distinguish between benign and potentially dangerous activity. Radar interpretation relies heavily on operator judgment.
“It’s not an automated system, so there is a human element to it,” McNamara said. “We have to make determinations and distinctions about the data we receive and act accordingly. It can be difficult at times, given the sheer amount of data our system receives in a day.”
Despite those challenges, McNamara sees the mission as directly tied to broader national security priorities—and as a valuable opportunity to sharpen his unit’s readiness for future conflicts.
“I see a lot of what’s happening in Ukraine right now—how they’re using drones daily to conduct warfare, do reconnaissance and take out high-value assets,” he said. “There’s a future in warfare where counter-UAS assets could play an even more critical role in defending forward operating bases and personnel.”
When asked what motivates his team day today, McNamara pointed to the mission’s larger meaning.
“We’re defending both the American public and the American way of life,” he said. “Using these systems to detect illegal activity ensures the border stays sealed and the status quo is maintained. But really, I think our team’s primary motivation is helping to save lives and make America safer.”
| Date Taken: | 05.26.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 05.29.2025 11:25 |
| Story ID: | 499096 |
| Location: | RIO GRANDE CITY, TEXAS, US |
| Web Views: | 205 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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