Photo By Chris Gardner | FORT SILL, Okla. —Fort Sill garrison leaders and Joint C-sUAS University instructors...... read more read more
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FORT SILL, Okla. — Fort Sill’s garrison leadership team recently completed an intensive two-and-a-half-day version of the Joint Counter-small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (C-sUAS) University’s Installation Protection Course, sharpening the post’s defenses against the growing threat of small unmanned aircraft systems.
The Joint Force C-sUAS University, based at Fort Sill, is the nation’s only joint training center teaching Soldiers, airmen, sailors and Marines to fight with and against drone technology. Its signature installation counter-UAS course normally runs a full week, but instructors tailored a shorter version to fit senior leaders’ schedules without sacrificing critical lessons.
President Trump signed the "Ensuring American Sovereignty Over Its Skies" executive order, calling for tighter protections against drones used by criminals, terrorists or hostile actors. That national directive underscores the need for leaders to understand drone threats and how to counter them.
“I wanted our leaders to see firsthand what the C-sUAS mission looks like and how it affects every corner of this installation,” said Julia Sibilla, deputy to the garrison commander. “This training gave us practical knowledge and real steps to make Fort Sill stronger, safer and more unified.”
The course brought together 11 leaders from emergency services, public works, operations, training and personnel. After classroom sessions on drone threats and legal processes, they moved to the range for live demonstrations and a final scenario simulating a drone incursion over restricted airspace.
At the range, Jacob Cameron, Fort Sill’s UAS air boss, showed an array of commercial quadcopters and custom-built foam drones his team uses to mimic real threats. Nearby, he demonstrated how 3-D printers help design and repair drones overnight, saving money while pushing training realism.
“If we want our Soldiers ready, they have to train against what’s actually out there,” Cameron said. “We don’t just fly drones, we build them, fix them and push their limits so our operators get real training without breaking the bank.”
UAS instructor Nick Barnett explained how layered defenses rely on ground-based radar and electronic warfare systems like the Ninja detection set and Windtalker signal tracker, but said they only work if teams maintain them properly. “These systems let us see and hear what drones are doing well before they become a threat, but only if we do the small checks every week,” Barnett said.
Leaders said the experience gave them new tools for their daily missions. Debra Porter, director of Public Works, said drone technology can help teams inspect roofs, dams and remote sites more safely and efficiently. Mike Spears, chief of the training division under the Directorate of Plans, Training, Mobilization and Security, said the course clarified exactly what’s needed to finish Fort Sill’s 130i packet, the formal approval for counter-UAS measures.
Other participants said the training highlighted the teamwork it takes to protect Fort Sill’s people and airspace. Sibilla echoed that point, adding she hopes to expand the training further.
“My hope is that a year from now, we’re offering this to even more leaders across the installation,” Sibilla said. “The more we learn together, the better we can coordinate, protect our people and stay ready for whatever comes next.”
As drone technology evolves, Fort Sill’s garrison team remains determined to stay ahead, innovating, collaborating and securing the skies above the Fires Center of Excellence in line with the nation’s call for airspace sovereignty.
| Date Taken: | 07.03.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 07.08.2025 16:42 |
| Story ID: | 542193 |
| Location: | FORT SILL, OKLAHOMA, US |
| Hometown: | LAWTON, OKLAHOMA, US |
| Web Views: | 46 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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