The Army this July in New Orleans will evaluate technologies to detect, track, identify and defeat drones, an experiment that will test counter-small unmanned aircraft systems (C-sUAS) in one of the most challenging conditions, dense urban environments.
The Technical Support and Operational Analysis Defense-in-Depth Experiment (DiDEX) 23 will also explore integrating C-sUAS into a single tactical common operating picture, according a March 16 Request for Information issued by the Army.
Urban environments are considered challenging for a C-UAS system given the impact of tall buildings on the sensors that would be used such as radar and how they reflect off the structures. Proximity to a commercial airport and other electronic-heavy infrastructures are also a concern.
The DiDEX will be funded by the Joint Counter-small UAS Office (JCO) and conducted by the Army Futures Command (AFC). The JCO and AFC are seeking technology white papers from industry, academia, individuals and laboratories to address capabilities to meet the C-sUAS challenge in dense urban environments.
The JCO and AFC will use the responses to potentially invite candidates for the experiment.
The DiDEX objectives include using the Tactical Assault Kit as the common operating picture. Other objectives include using artificial intelligence technologies to help in the decision-making, integrating the COP to disseminate data to enhance situational awareness, using electronic warfare with kinetic means to defeat drones, countering swarms of UAS, and prioritizing alerts for targets.
Technology white papers are due by April 14 and the Army will notify respondents of their decision by April 25.