Current U.S. integrated air and missile defense capabilities are not keeping pace with the rapidly evolving unmanned aerial systems threat and require both materiel and non-materiel solutions to mitigate warfighter capability gaps.

BLACK DART is an annual field demonstration of current and emergent Counter-UAS technologies sponsored by the Joint Staff J8 Joint Integrated Air and Missile Defense Organization also known as JIAMDO.

As the Black Dart 2016 lead assessment organization, the Joint Staff J6 Joint Deployable Analysis Team, also known as JDAT, collected data to answer two main questions:

1- Can current fielded systems counter UAS threats?

2- And, what is the capability or potential of non-Program of Record systems to enhance counter UAS operations?

The live-fly, live-fire demonstration took place in late 2016 at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida and the surrounding land and sea ranges with over 900 personnel in attendance including participants from Australia, Canada, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan. BLACK DART demonstrations began in 2010 and are the only Joint and partner nation Department of Defense counter UAS events.

The JDAT Black Dart Report will include detailed findings on systems’ abilities to detect, track, identify, and negate unmanned aircraft systems to support Joint and Combined warfighter capabilities and make our forces more connected, survivable, and lethal on the battlefield.

a. Execute live-fly, live-fire C-UAS technology demonstrations to assess and validate existing and emerging IAMD capabilities.

b. Present emerging solutions to inform requirements decision making.

c. Identify and develop IAMD operational concepts, system interoperability, and operational architectures for the C-UAS mission set.

d. Advocate for warfighters’ desired C-UAS capabilities and affordable, integrated solutions.

e. Identify C-UAS capability gaps for IAMD.

f. Identify promising materiel and non-materiel solutions for C-UAS operations.

g. Investigate new methods for UAS Combat Identification (CID).

h. Improve completeness of the shared air picture with respect to Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UASs).

i. Develop C-UAS non-kinetic negation methods and techniques.

j. Promote and integrate interagency participation and capabilities.

k. Promote foreign/partner nation observer participation and coordination.

The demonstration will include Program of Record (POR) as well as non-POR C-UASs demonstrating capabilities and/or collecting data in support of proprietary C-UAS development. Onsite data collection supports real-time feedback, opportunities for participant feedback, and becomes the basis for formal analysis at the conclusion of the demonstration.

In order to align with warfighter needs, JIAMDO coordinated with the Combatant Commands and Services to prioritize capability gaps related to C-UAS.