The US and Saudi Arabia this week wrapped up the largest counter-unmanned aerial systems (UAS) exercise held in West Asia, underscoring the growing urgency of defending against proliferating drone threats.
The live-fire drills, conducted at the Shamal-2 Range in northeastern Saudi Arabia, brought together 20 counter-UAS systems in what the US Central Command (CENTCOM) described as its most ambitious Red Sands exercise to date. The event focused on integrating radars, sensors, and weapons to rapidly detect, track, and destroy modern aerial threats, including drone swarms.
Admiral Brad Cooper, making his first regional trip since assuming command of CENTCOM, observed the exercise alongside Saudi Armed Forces Chief of General Staff General Fayyadh Al-Ruwaili and visited the Red Sands Integrated Experimentation Centre
Admiral Cooper also met with Saudi Defence Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman. During the meeting, they reviewed aspects of bilateral defence cooperation and discussed the latest developments in the region, as well as their shared efforts to address them in a way that preserves international peace and security, Prince Khalid said in a social media post.
