- [Narrator] For many, the concept of war on the ground
has transitioned to the sky.
Hovering sometimes tens of thousands of feet in the air.
Unmanned arial vehicles, or drones, are a game changer.
Both for the good, and the bad.
- We've got a possible drone over the parking lot.
- With the massive technology boom,
the enemy has been able to get their hands on UAS systems
commercial off the shelf.
- [Narrator] Combating against the threat of drones
is key, as technological advances aren't slowing down.
Here Oklahoma Army National Guard members
of First Squadron 180th Cavalry Regiment,
currently deployed to Afghanistan
as part of Operation Resolute Support,
conduct a drone training exercise
utilizing counter UAS equipment.
- They flew a drone into our air space here
where we used some of our equipment to detect them
within the electromagnetic spectrum,
and then we sent out individuals to visually identify it.
And then we started sending out some equipment
so that we can defeat it using the same spectrum
that that drone is operating on.
- [Narrator] The exercise and equipment
was observed by Central Command's JDAT,
or Joint Deployable Assessment Team,
in order to determine any vulnerabilities.
- Here we are assessing counter UAS systems
throughout Cent Com, specifically for the defense,
and security and safety of our war fighters.
They're standing post at the patrols,
and doing things they do on a daily basis out here.
These guys here, they put this whole thing together.
They actually haven't been on station very long,
so I was very impressed with how well they put their
exercise together, and succeeded in taking down the drones.
- [Narrator] Reporting from Kabul, Afghanistan,
I'm Army Captain Leanna Litch.