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Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory drone swarm field demonstration

A drone swarm field demonstration conducted at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) in Livermore, California on Jan. 14, 2026. (Courtesy photo, release number LLNL-MI-2015849)

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Photo by: Libby Weiler 

STUTTGART, Germany – In response to the rapidly evolving threat of low-cost, aerial drones, U.S. Africa Command is evaluating a new force protection system designed to affordably and effectively safeguard troops using swarming technology. 

The initiative, named CURTAIN CALL, represents a critical shift in military thinking, driven by urgent lessons from modern battlefields.

Its strategic importance is rooted in three realities of modern warfare: the economic disruption caused by cheap, mass-produced drones; the tangible threats facing deployed troops; and the accelerating pace of a global drone arms race. The system is designed to rapidly generate a synchronized swarm of unmanned aerial vehicles, forming a coordinated defensive shield against inbound attacks. 

A recent field demonstration was conducted to assess the system's current capabilities and inform its future development. In collaboration with Joint Staff J7’s Warfighter Laboratory Incentive Fund (WILF) program, the AFRICOM sponsored CURTAIN CALL project strategically integrates commercially available drones and sensors. This approach offers a cost-effective and adaptable alternative to bespoke, custom-engineered defense systems. The initial test served as a critical first step, allowing engineers to address technical challenges before a more complex operational demonstration is executed within the AFRICOM area of responsibility.  

"In today's rapidly evolving threat landscape, we need agile and affordable solutions to protect our forces on the continent, "said U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Jared Bindl, chief of Science, Tech & Innovation at AFRICOM. "Agile Counter-Unmanned Aerial System (C-UAS) solutions like CURTAIN CALL are crucial for developing layered defenses that can be deployed rapidly and sustainably. This demonstration is a key step in building a more resilient and cost-effective force protection posture." 

The evaluation successfully identified both the system's strengths and its current limitations. Providing leadership with clear, evidence-based insights needed to determine the technology's viability for the force protection mission. 

"The demonstration achieved its intended purpose: to expose system realities early, reduce risk, and generate decision-quality insight to inform the next phase of execution, "said Bindl. 

By establishing a clear path for refinement, the demonstration has provided essential lessons to guide the continued development of the CURTAIN CALL system as a potential solution for future force protection needs.