Ukraine's surprise attack shows it may take a ‘major drone strike' to change US defense policy, experts say

Fox News

2 days ago

Ukraine's surprise Sunday attack on Russian offensive weapons caches may be a good time for the U.S. to reflect on its own weaknesses, should one of its adversaries attempt a similar strike.
Col. Seth Krummrich, a retired Army Special Forces commander and vice president at the Virginia-based security firm Global Guardian, warned that the U.S. remains vulnerable to drone attacks.
"Interestingly, it is not a technological gap, it is a policy/authority process to engage and deny drone attacks," Krummrich said.
"I assess it will take a major drone strike in the U.S. to change policy."
Even civilian operations have a tough time getting approval for drone-interception-authority protections, the NFL excepted, he said.
"Ukraine proved how easy it is to hide a drone swarm in a truck bed, get close to the target, then swarm and destroy targets in a minute or two.
"Drones are cheap and easy to lethally modify. This know-how is readily available to all State and non-state enemy actors."
America's best snipers will have trouble downing a target moving at 35mph, as quadcopter-drones can reach, according to Krummrich.
He noted the panoply of threat-groups that could harness drone warfare, from China and North Korea to homegrown threats like Antifa and environmental extremists -- and laid out how a villainous actor could carry-out a strike on a sporting event from 1,000 miles away with proper planning and orchestration.
Gen. David Grange, a retired veteran of the 101st Airborne, recently returned from Ukraine where his Osprey Relief Foundation team of elite military vets conducted a "point-of-need" assessment and supply delivery to field hospitals and the like.
Grange said Ukraine's use of drones is a "textbook example of asymmetric warfare" – jargon depicting the proverbial David v. Goliath scenario.
"If a similar drone-based attack were launched on U.S. soil, it would be extremely difficult to intercept once set forth in motion, much like the events of 9/11," Grange said.
The general estimated that there are 3,000 gang members, terrorists and/or sleeper agents of hostile nations already stateside – and drone actions would be inexpensive and difficult to detect at present.
But, the feds are aware there are vulnerabilities and actively working to prepare for a potential scenario, he added:
"It's not a matter of complacency — it's a matter of catching up to a rapidly evolving threat landscape."
Last year, civilians and officials alike appeared flummoxed by repeated sightings of suspicious drones in the Mid-Atlantic – including near the U.S. Army garrison at Picatinny Arsenal in Dover, N.J., and President Donald Trump's nearby golf club.
Several "spy balloons" allegedly launched by China crossed over the Arctic, Great Plains and sandhills in 2023. One balloon was downed and recovered off the Grand Strand, while remnants of another were scooped up in Lake Huron.
Grange said the New Jersey situation was a "critical wake-up call."
"Incidents like that underscore the importance of shifting from reactive posture to proactive deterrence," he said.
"We're not starting from zero, but we are in a race to close the gap between emerging threats and our ability to counter them."
The idea of an impenetrable North America is not sustainable, he said – warning not to panic but instead to surgically address those vulnerabilities.
"Solving this challenge will require an all-hands-on-deck approach: federal, state, and local governments must work hand-in-hand with private industry, research institutions, and technology developers to close the gaps in our homeland defense posture," Grange said, adding the Ukraine-Russia conflict illustrates "the new face of warfare."
At a December hearing, House Homeland Security Subcommittee on Counterterrorism Chairman August Pfluger, R-Texas, warned that, "in the wrong hands, drone technology can negatively impact American national security while disrupting critical infrastructure."
"We must secure our skies from unauthorized aerial systems, but most importantly the homeland from foreign adversaries."
Pentagon brass testified NORTHCOM would've downed any drone that appeared to pose any imminent physical threat.
Kelly Siegel, CEO of National Technology Management, a Michigan-based cybersecurity firm, told Fox News Digital the Ukraine operation reminds us that more than three-quarters of all drones are made in China.
Drone and cyber-related threats to the homeland overlap, he said.
"Just like drones have rapidly become critical weapons, causing about 65% of Russian battlefield losses, cyber threats evolve at lightning speed. Staying disciplined and ahead of emerging tech is vital."
Russia has already disrupted American-supplied guided weapons by electronically jamming them – an example of something that mirrors current threats to U.S. critical infrastructure and security systems, he added.
In response to the concerns, a defense department official told Fox News Digital the Pentagon "routinely conducts threat assessments as the operational environment continues to evolve."
"Our objective is to enable tailored response options to protect our service members and installations. Specific implementation details are not disclosed for operational security reasons."
Israel, a key U.S. ally, is known for its "Iron Dome" missile defense system – backed by more than $2 billion in U.S. funding. The system has played a crucial role in intercepting rocket attacks from Hamas and other malign actors.
The U.S. currently lacks a similar system, though Trump proposed what he calls a "Golden Dome" system.
Canada can join the "Golden Dome" for $61 billion, or become the 51st state and join for free," Trump quipped Friday on Truth Social.