Photo By Joseph Siemandel | Maj. Gen. Gent Welsh, The Adjutant General, Washington National Guard, talks with...... read more read more
Subscribe
As the 2026 FIFA World Cup nears and drone threats grow more complex, more than 100 public-sector leaders convened in Renton on Nov. 5, 2025, for a Counter-Unmanned Aerial Systems (CUAS) Summit hosted by Major General Gent Welsh, Washington’s Adjutant General and Homeland Security Advisor. The summit united government, academic, legal, public safety, and industry experts to bolster national security readiness.
“If you think about where the world was on September 10th, we are at a very similar place,” said Welsh during his opening remarks. “This isn’t about the World Cup. This is about protecting America.”
The summit served as a rare convergence of government and private-sector expertise.
“This is a true blending of industry and the government,” Welsh noted, underscoring the importance of unified action as unmanned aerial threats continue to accelerate in complexity and frequency.
The summit also emphasized the sobering parallels between today’s challenges and the vulnerabilities the nation faced prior to Sept 11, 2001. Citing the findings of the 9/11 Commission Report, which acknowledged a failure of imagination, a failure of laws, a failure of capabilities, and a failure of management, Welsh urged leaders and attendees to learn from the past.
“The commission report talked about red flags that popped up prior to 9/11, and now we have seen what is happening across the globe with drones and need to be ready,” Welsh said.
Referencing recent drone incidents in New Jersey, Welsh explained how the real-world event highlighted regional vulnerabilities.
“That kicked me into high gear, because I immediately asked myself, if that happened in Washington state, how would I respond to the governor,” Welsh asked the attendees. “We have a lot of people talking about the problem, from different angles, but we are talking past each other. I am glad we finally got everyone together and can walk through the problem.”
The central component of the summit was a tabletop exercise simulating a coordinated drone attack on Lumen Field during a World Cup match. Participants examined the steps leading to the hypothetical attack, conducted pre-incident assessments, and explored possible drone launch points and methods of attack. The scenario also included two drone-based attacks on critical infrastructure, designed to expose vulnerabilities, test response capabilities, and evaluate interagency coordination.
Throughout the exercise, participants confronted persistent challenges: limited authorities across various levels of government, gaps in resources, and barriers embedded in current policy and legal frameworks. These obstacles, many agreed, continue to hinder a unified response to unmanned system threats.
Defense industry partners later showcased a range of available technologies for detection, deterrence, disruption, and mitigation. Their presentations highlighted both the rapid innovation occurring in the counter UAS arena and the need for streamlined pathways to integrate these tools into public safety operations.
“I imagine we have solutions but you guys have the tools that will take us from concept to practical application,” said Welsh.
The summit’s overarching goal was clear: identify actionable solutions to counter the rising threat posed by unmanned systems and strengthen collaborative planning across jurisdictions. As World Cup 2026 approaches, and as drone-based incidents become more frequent worldwide, Welsh stressed that preparation must extend far beyond a single global event.
“Our mission isn’t just about securing the games, it’s about ensuring the safety of our communities and protecting America through joint planning, foresight, and cooperation.”
| Date Taken: | 11.17.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 11.17.2025 16:41 |
| Story ID: | 551439 |
| Location: | CAMP MURRAY, WASHINGTON, US |
| Web Views: | 115 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Preparing for World Cup 2026, Washington National Guard hosts Counter-UAS Summit, by Joseph Siemandel, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
