Echodyne recently delivered decision-enhancing radar data to Air and Army National Guardsmen during the Thunderstruck Counter-Unmanned Aircraft Systems (C-UAS) exercise at Camp Gruber, Oklahoma.
Hosted by the Oklahoma National Guard (OKNG), the event drew hundreds of participants from across the United States and the world to develop expertise for future battlegrounds. The OKNG is currently spearheading force modernization efforts through its C-UAS School and Launched Effects Alliance, collaborating with industry and academic partners to address the full spectrum of aerial threats.
During the Thunderstruck exercise, Echodyne supported multiple scenario-based training modules, including enemy Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) airspace deconfliction. The EchoShield, a long-range radar, provided precise situational awareness by handing off aerial threat tracks to the EchoGuard, a portable short-range radar, as threats advanced toward ground troops and base assets.
This precision tracking data cued kinetic operations to neutralize threats and improved the common operating picture for friendly maneuver training. The data specifically allowed leaders to track troop insertions from Chinook aircraft into landing zones more accurately, facilitating timely decisions to protect exposed personnel. Warfighters viewed critical track information, including size, distance, and speed, through the tactical awareness kit (TAK).
The integration of this radar data was made possible through collaboration with several partners. Strongwatch provided vehicle-mounted optics and C2 for the EchoShield, while Persistent Systems and TrellisWare provided the tactical network capabilities required for TAK integration. Additionally, Eronia integrated an EchoShield into its own C-UAS solution to provide expanded airspace coverage during the exercise.
Jeff Phillips, VP DOD/IC Sales, said, “We are proud to contribute to OKNG growing and active drone readiness program to enable NG Airman and Soldiers to effectively win in the future fight. Thank you to the OKNG and RXR for facilitating critical training on emerging technologies.”
