West Point Cadet collaborates with Army engineers to advance UAS defeat algorithms
PICATINNY ARSENAL, N.J. - As the threat of Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) continues to evolve on the modern battlefield, the U.S. Army is looking to its future leaders for innovative solutions. In a unique collaborative effort, a cadet from the United States Military Academy (USMA) at West Point has partnered with Army engineers to develop alternative engagement algorithms designed to optimize UAS defeat.
Cadet Alex Anteen, who will graduate with West Point’s class of 2028, spent three weeks working side-by-side with U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command (DEVCOM) Armaments Center engineers and scientists “Alex’s work and contributions look at moving away from simply targeting the nearest threat,” said Cesar Sosa, Team Lead for the Armaments Center’s Area Denial/Protection Analysis, Performance Analysis Branch.
“Instead, it focuses on intelligently clustering targets and selecting engagement strategies based on the threat's composition and our system/munitions' capabilities. By factoring in multiple variables, the goal is to optimize the time spent engaging a mass of UAS threats to maximize UAS defeat with a single system.”
Anteen will major in Operations Research at West Point, a rigorous, interdisciplinary discipline offered jointly by the Department of Mathematical Sciences and the Department of Systems Engineering. It trains cadets to apply quantitative methods, data science, and mathematical modeling to optimize military and scarce resource decisions.
Cadets in this major take a heavy load of advanced mathematics, statistics, and engineering coursework and gain hands-on experience by translating real-world events into mathematical language through capstone projects. The undergraduates then present their predictive models and decision analysis findings, such as Anteen did at the completion of his three-week assignment at Picatinny Arsenal.
Adapting to the Modern Threat
The proliferation of inexpensive, highly capable drones has fundamentally shifted tactical paradigms. From reconnaissance to direct strike capabilities, UAS present a complex challenge for force protection. Traditional air defense systems, while effective against larger threats, can be cost-prohibitive or tactically inefficient when deployed against swarms of small, commercially available drones.
Recognizing this gap, the joint research project between Anteen and the Armaments Center focuses on creating smarter, more adaptable systems. The goal is to optimize the decision-making process—specifically, how an automated or semi-automated system selects the appropriate countermeasure (kinetic interceptors, electronic warfare, directed energy) against a specific UAS threat to maximize effectiveness and minimize cost-per-kill.
Anteen’s research specifically targets "alternative engagement algorithms." These algorithms analyze incoming threat data—such as drone speed, altitude, payload capacity, and swarm density—and rapidly calculate the most effective defeat mechanism. By utilizing machine learning and advanced probabilistic models, the algorithms allow commanders to preserve high-value munitions for high-value targets, while utilizing cheaper, non-kinetic options for lower-tier threats.
Enhancing Force Protection
Currently in the simulation and modeling phase, the algorithms are being tested against complex, multi-axis drone swarm scenarios. Early results indicate a significant increase in engagement efficiency and a reduction in the depletion rate of localized air defense magazines.
Beyond the technical advancements, the collaboration serves a dual purpose. It accelerates the development of critical counter-UAS (C-UAS) technologies for the warfighter while providing the cadet with invaluable, real-world engineering experience. When this cadet commissions as a Second Lieutenant, they will enter the force not just as a leader, but as an innovator intimately familiar with the Army's technological edge.
As the Army continues its modernization efforts, partnerships between USMA and operational engineering commands will remain vital. The integration of advanced algorithms into C-UAS platforms is a critical step in ensuring that U.S. forces maintain air domain awareness and operational superiority in any theater.
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