Air Force Acquisitions of Counter Unmanned Aircraft Systems

Abstract

Drones, more formally recognized as unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), offer a wide variety of utility and great potential for harm. The U.S. Air Force and the rest of the Department of Defense (DOD) represent significant targets for UAS. Addressing the UAS threat that the Air Force is facing can be undertaken by looking at how the Air Force can employ an acquisition strategy by which it acquires counter-unmanned aircraft systems (C-UAS) and delivers the capabilities of those systems to its Airmen. By exploring the DOD’s acquisition system and counter-small unmanned aircraft systems (C-sUAS) and capabilities, this research argues for establishing an acquisition strategy of those systems. The research concludes by providing recommendations on how the Air Force can align itself with official and authoritative C-sUAS elements within the DOD to ultimately frame a C-sUAS acquisition strategy for the Air Force to utilize.