Task Force, Border Patrol Partner for Counter-Drone Training

SUMMIT POINT, W. Va. - Members of Joint Interagency Task Force 401 visited the Summit Point Training Facility in West Virginia on February 24, 2026, to train with U.S. Customs and Border Protection on advancing counter-drone and small unmanned aircraft systems operations.

The visit underscored the growing need for a layered defense strategy against illicit drone activity, which poses significant threats, including intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, contraband smuggling and precision strikes. Effective countermeasures, including persistent surveillance, electromagnetic mitigation and kinetic defeat, were central to the discussions and practical demonstrations during the visit.

The engagement at the C-UAS and sUAS training facility served to strengthen interagency cooperation and foster the exchange of tactics, techniques and procedures between JIATF-401 and CBP. The session provided participants with an overview of CBP operations, training protocols, and relevant policies, as well as hands-on experience with both sUAS and C-UAS systems.

Throughout the visit, trained operators conducted live sUAS flights, providing JIATF-401 members with direct exposure to operational drone mitigation techniques. The group also toured the C-UAS and UAS storage area, gaining insight into the extensive resources available for counter-drone operations.

The visit highlighted the local training opportunities available at Summit Point, offering both in-person and remote training teams for C-UAS and sUAS operations. This collaboration is positioned to enhance tactical-level training ahead of major events such as America 250 and the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Additionally, the potential for interagency participation in these training efforts was emphasized as a critical step in building a unified approach to counter-drone operations.

As part of the ongoing commitment to national security, Jose A. Gonzalez, the CBP representative embedded with JIATF-401, emphasized the importance of partnerships across federal agencies. Gonzalez's role reflects a model JIATF-401 is working to expand across the interagency, building on collaboration highlighted during last year's interagency summit.

"CBP and the Department of War have had a long history of collaboration to secure our nation's borders and protect lawful trade and travel. These collaborations are an

investment in national security and equip us both with best practices complemented by the latest technology. Border security is national security, and together, we can optimize our results," said Gonzalez.