SETAF-AF, G-TEAD partner to accelerate counter-drone tech in Africa

VICENZA, Italy - U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF) is partnering with the U.S. Army's Global Tactical Edge Acquisition Directorate to test emerging systems in Africa and deliver them to Soldiers within 180 days.

The command's first accelerated capability event, or ACE, is scheduled for spring 2027 in Tan-Tan, Morocco. It will focus on counter-unmanned aircraft systems and force protection, targeting capability gaps in protecting early-entry command posts and operating locations against Group 1-3 small UAS.

Africa offers an open spectrum, uncongested airspace and diverse terrain that training ranges in the United States and Europe cannot easily match. These conditions allow Soldiers to validate solutions in theater and scale them across the service.

Operating under the Army Pathway for Innovation and Technology, G-TEAD embeds personnel within Army service component commands. These teams translate urgent commander priorities into executable requirements, giving field commanders access to acquisition authorities at the tactical edge. G-TEAD teams already operate within U.S. Army Europe and Africa, U.S. Army Pacific and U.S. Army Central.

U.S. Army Col. Christopher Hill, director of G-TEAD, described the organization as the Army's answer for putting innovative solutions in the hands of the warfighter.

"ASCCs always had priorities, they've always had capability gaps, but the two things they've never had is acquisition authority and research, development, test and evaluation dollars," Hill said.

Hill said that because G-TEAD maintains visibility across multiple commands, its personnel can align modernization efforts, maximize funding and transition proven theater solutions Army wide.

G-TEAD assigned a team to SETAF-AF in summer 2026 to link immediate operational needs with rapid acquisition resources. Together, the commands will use the ACE framework as a fast-track pathway to identify, evaluate and deliver field-ready technology.

Through a three-phase model, submission and preparation, Soldier-led demonstrations and follow-on operational evaluation, ACEs deliver rapid solutions within an accelerated acquisition timeline.

"ACEs are driven by real, urgent, theater-specific technology gaps," said U.S. Army Maj. Katlin VanWye, a G-TEAD representative embedded with SETAF-AF. "We take commanding general's priorities and translate those immediate tactical challenges into clear, executable technical requirements that defense prize-authority partners and Portfolio Acquisition Executive partners can actually action."

SETAF-AF will hold a Soldier-led demonstration in February and March 2027 in Tan-Tan, Morocco, followed by an operational assessment in April and May during African Lion 2027, U.S. Africa Command's largest joint military exercise in Africa. G-TEAD will validate up to 15 solutions with PAE Fires, one of the U.S. Army's core modernization enterprises, responsible for shaping, integrating, and delivering the Army's most critical fires capabilities, as the transition partner.

"The ACE is structured around five capability categories," VanWye said. "An overarching, completely integrated fly-away kit and four subcategories focused on sUAS detection, kinetic defeat, nonkinetic defeat and passive protection. Solutions will integrate into the Army's C-UAS command and control Integrated Battle Command System-Maneuver."

The initiative supports broader Army modernization priorities while reinforcing partner-led security across the theater.

"Soldiers need capability," Hill said. "We have to come in, and we have to actually perform and produce."

Hill emphasized that every system receives evaluation with an eye toward scaling across the service, so tactical lessons learned in Africa enhance overall military readiness.

By accelerating testing and adaptation alongside G-TEAD, SETAF-AF helps provide the joint force with broader strategic options while validating innovative capabilities for the total Army.

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About SETAF-AF

U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF) prepares Army forces, executes crisis response, enables strategic competition and strengthens partners to achieve U.S. Army Europe and Africa and U.S. Africa Command campaign objectives.