ISLAMABAD: The United States and Saudi Arabia have completed the largest live-fire counter-drone exercise ever conducted in the Middle East, according to US Central Command (CENTCOM).
The multi-day drills, held at the Red Sands Integrated Experimentation Center in Saudi Arabia, began on September 7 at the Shamal-2 Range and brought together more than 300 personnel fielding 20 counter-unmanned aerial systems. CENTCOM made the announcement Wednesday via a post on X.
Anadolu Agency (AA) reported that the exercise coincided with a visit by Admiral Brad Cooper, the new CENTCOM commander, who was on his first regional tour since assuming command. He was joined by Gen. Fayyadh bin Hamed Raqed Al-Ruwaili, Chief of the General Staff of the Royal Saudi Armed Forces.
“Threats posed by the proliferation of advanced drones are a pressing challenge,” Admiral Cooper said in remarks carried by AA. “Working shoulder-to-shoulder with regional partners to innovate and adapt is more critical than ever.”
This year’s Red Sands drill was the fourth iteration since the program’s launch in 2023, CENTCOM said. It showcased advances in rapid prototyping, defensive integration, and multi-layered response tactics designed to protect against modern unmanned aerial systems.
Testing New Technologies and Defenses
US and Saudi forces linked multiple radar and sensor systems, including the Signal Hunter wearable geolocation device and the Buffer Passive Acoustic Detection System (BPADS), to track and identify simulated air threats in real-time, the news agency reported.
“Red Sands brought together US, Saudi and industry capabilities and expertise to identify ‘best in breed’ systems for detecting, tracking and eliminating modern aerial drone threats,” Admiral Cooper added.
The exercise featured layered defenses ranging from electronic warfare systems to direct engagement. Simulated responses included US AC-130 gunships, AH-64 Apache helicopters, as well as Saudi F-15s, Typhoon jets, and AH-64s.
Sharpening Cooperation Through Innovation
According to Anadolu Agency , in the final line of defense, participants tested Drone Defeat Rounds—specialized shotgun shells carrying 720 tungsten pellets designed to shred hostile drones at close range.
CENTCOM described Red Sands as a vital forum for developing and testing new counter-drone technologies, tactics, and procedures while simultaneously strengthening cooperation and interoperability between the US, Saudi Arabia, and other regional partners.
