Fort Sill’s Joint C-sUAS University: Spearheading the charge against drone threats

The rapid proliferation of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) as aerial threats to U.S. and Coalition forces has beckoned a robust response from the U.S. military.

The Joint Counter-small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (C-sUAS) University (JCU) at Fort Sill emerges as a potent answer to this call, epitomizing a centralized and standardized training hub committed to grooming leaders adept at planning and executing counter-sUAS strategies.

Under the stewardship of Lt. Col. Moseph Sauda, the JCU is poised to transform military personnel, enhance readiness, and modernize the force to combat the evolving drone threats both at home and abroad.

“The exponential growth of UAS as a threat to U.S. and Coalition forces and U.S. government installations at home and abroad drove the need to create a centralized and standardized training institution,” remarked Sauda, elucidating the impetus behind the JCU’s inception.

Before the crystallization of JCU, drone training was fragmented, with service members resorting to various organic and non-organic training methods for offensive and defense UAS training. The transition to a centralized training hub marks a significant leap towards a standardized C-sUAS training regime, ensuring a shared understanding of current and evolving threats among all military services, federal agencies, allied, and partner nations, said Sauda.

Fort Sill, with its rich legacy of training the US Army, Joint Forces, and Coalition partner fires community, emerged as the ideal locale for the JCU. It’s a nexus where the doctrine, training, and employment of Counter UAS strategies have been nurtured since the threat surfaced on the military’s radar.

The JCU offers a diverse range of courses, with durations spanning from one to three weeks, tailored to meet the demands of the Joint warfighting commanders. These courses are meticulously crafted in collaboration with Joint partners, industry, and academia, ensuring a well-rounded, up-to-date curriculum. Upon completion, service members are awarded a graduation certificate and a service corresponding Skill Identifier, emblematic of their enhanced C-sUAS prowess.

“The threat dictates what system is best for defeat. Therefore, the JCU trains across the spectrum of available systems and updates its curriculum and systems accordingly in order to maintain pace with the emerging threats,” Sauda said, shedding light on the adaptive nature of the training in resonance with the evolving drone technologies.

Challenges like detection and tracking of small drones, especially in diverse operational environments, are thoroughly addressed in the training regime. The JCU employs realistic threat replication through simulations and live-UAS exercise scenarios, preparing personnel for a spectrum of threats and environments they might encounter.

The training also delves into the rules of engagement, albeit these may vary depending on the operational environment. The objective is to equip personnel with a comprehensive understanding of C-sUAS capabilities, enabling them to provide valuable leadership, expertise, and operational support wherever their duties beckon.

A notable feature of these courses is the issuance of an Additional Skill Identifier (ASI) upon completion, a testament to the Soldiers’ augmented capability in the domain of C-UAS. The curriculum is a blend of theory and practical engagement frameworks, encapsulating a multi-step sequence process of Detect, Identify, Track, and Defeat to ensure a comprehensive understanding and application of C-sUAS measures.

The JCU embodies a dynamic and collaborative approach to stay abreast of the swift technological advancements in drone and counter-drone systems, said Sauda. By fostering alliances with federal agencies, joint partners, academia, and industry, the JCU ensures its curriculum remains at the cutting edge of countering UAS threats, including the menacing prospects of drone swarms.

As Sauda aptly encapsulated, the aim of JCU training is to ensure all allied forces have a shared comprehension of current and evolving threats, enabling effective employment of C-sUAS capabilities wherever the call of duty resonates. Through the establishment of the JCU, Fort Sill reaffirms its status as a crucible of military excellence, sharpening the spearhead of the US military’s counter-drone capabilities in the face of an ever-evolving aerial threat landscape.