Published: · Region: Global · Category: defense

NORTHCOM Warning on Drone Swarms Exposes National Vulnerability Over US Cities

A top US homeland defense commander has warned that the country is “ill-equipped” to stop a large drone swarm on its own soil, saying the military lacks the right sensors and weapons. The admission turns a theoretical threat into a declared vulnerability, with implications for cities, critical infrastructure, and how adversaries game US air defenses.

A senior US commander responsible for defending the homeland has warned that the United States is not ready to stop a large, coordinated drone attack on its own territory — a rare public admission of a gap in the country’s defenses. US Northern Command’s deputy, Lieutenant General Joseph Jarrard, said the US is “ill‑equipped” to defend against a drone swarm on American soil, noting, “We don’t have the sensors… [or] effectors to go after that problem.” His comments, made public on 16 August, cut against the assumption that US air defenses built for ballistic missiles and aircraft can simply be repurposed to defeat small, cheap, networked drones. The phrase “sensors…

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