The Army National Guard is shifting its training focus toward countering unmanned aircraft systems, reflecting the service's evolving assessment of emerging battlefield threats. The Emerging Threat Replication Program, based at Fort Indiantown Gap in Pennsylvania, trains Pennsylvania Army National Guard soldiers and other units arriving for instruction.
Twenty years ago, the program emphasized counter-improvised-explosive-device training; today, counter-UAS techniques dominate. Jared Reed, site lead for the program, said the shift reflects military demand. "Our big push right now is counter-UAS; that's the emerging threat," Reed said. "That's basically what every unit is asking for. It's become a pretty big deal, not just here, but across the Army."
The program provides training across squad through company-level elements in counter-UAS tactics, explosive hazards and counter-improvised threats, explosive ordnance disposal, and cyber and electromagnetic activities. Training also covers warfighting functions including tactical command and control, movement and maneuver, intelligence, fires, and sustainment.
Troy Heffner, the program's UAS employment and counter-UAS lead, said keeping pace with equipment evolution is a challenge. "By the time you go through the process to purchase a piece of equipment, it can already be outdated, so keeping up with the material side is extremely difficult," he said. The program focuses on teaching soldiers tactics and immediate reactions to drone threats rather than relying solely on specific equipment.
The program, previously called the Asymmetric Threat Training Support Program, is integrating training on additional emerging threats, including unmanned ground vehicles and UAS platforms for cyber and electromagnetic activities.