Washington Guard, partners strengthen counter-drone skills

CAMP MURRAY, Wash. - Tribal law enforcement officers joined the Washington National Guard and federal partners at Yakima Training Center Oct. 20-21 to strengthen their understanding of unmanned aircraft threats and practice coordinating a response before an incident occurs.

Washington State Counterdrug and the 10th Civil Support Team conducted the two-day Tribal Counter-Unmanned Aircraft Systems Fundamentals and Mission Scenarios Training, bringing together 18 participants representing eight tribal nations and three non-tribal partner organizations.

The event expanded the Washington National Guard's ongoing counter-UAS efforts while allowing tribal agencies to explore available technology, discuss response roles and build relationships with organizations they may call upon for support.

"The Washington Military Department is committed to building enduring partnerships and practical capabilities with our state, local, tribal and territorial partners," said Lt. Col. Wes Watson, director of the Commander's Action Group for Counter-UAS Operations.

The first day established a common foundation through classroom instruction on unmanned aircraft technology, system capabilities, laws and regulations, military doctrine and counter-UAS authorities. The program also discussed tribal airspace considerations, linking the instruction to questions facing participating agencies.

On the second day, participants moved into practical training stations covering drone-platform familiarization, detection and response concepts and integrating information into a shared operating picture. The rotations connected equipment familiarization with discussions about how agencies communicate and coordinate during an unmanned aircraft incident.

King County Sheriff's Office personnel contributed lessons learned from counter-UAS mitigation operations and ground-intercept-team management. Their instruction offered practical perspectives on coordinating ground personnel and maintaining communication among responding organizations.

For tribal law enforcement agencies, the training offered an opportunity to examine both the technology and the partnerships needed to address emerging unmanned aircraft challenges.

"A lot of the tribes in this state are located in remote locations and do not have ready access to the capabilities that have been developed with the larger metropolitan police agencies, and Tribal Police Departments [TPD] cannot afford the cost of most C-UAS equipment," said Chief Warrant Officer Four Bill Elliott, Washington Guard tribal liaison. "So this training is critical to assist the TPD on understanding the UAS threat, how to recognize potential threats and what equipment and/or agencies can be brought in to assist mitigating the threat."

Tribal governments within this state have expressed concern over drone incursions into their airspace, and several have passed tribal ordinances creating restrictive airspace as authorized under federal law. These tribes have requested assistance from the Washington National Guard for training and support as needed. At a recent Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians meeting, members passed a resolution supporting pending state legislation and the Washington National Guard's efforts.

Jasper Bruner, chief of police for the Nisqually Tribe, emphasized the importance of developing that familiarity before an incident occurs.

"This event was an opportunity for tribal partners to expand their knowledge, strengthen relationships and help lead broader interagency preparedness efforts," Bruner said.

Carlie Taylor, special agent in charge with the Bureau of Indian Affairs, highlighted the benefit of bringing specialized expertise and training resources together in one location. Counter-UAS capabilities can require significant resources, so collaborative training is valuable for tribal agencies serving large, rural areas, Taylor said.

The event gave participants a shared setting to learn about available resources and discuss how their organizations could work together within their respective response roles.

"Training events like this create a common understanding of the C-UAS challenge, clarify how we coordinate within our respective roles and authorities and help ensure Washington's communities and tribal nations are better prepared to respond together when needed," Watson said.