DHS looks to put funds toward FBI’s counter-drone training center
The Department of Homeland Security is continuing to explore ways to bolster its defenses against drones, according to DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin, who testified on Thursday before the House Appropriations Committee.
Earlier this week, DHS leaders met with FBI Director Kash Patel, per the agency’s top official. The FBI runs a counter-UAS training center in Alabama that serves as the federal government’s primary training and certification facility for related operations. The installation has played a central role in upskilling law enforcement ahead of the FIFA World Cup.
“We have more people asking to get into the school than he has space to do it,” Mullin told lawmakers of the training center. “We are looking for ways to partner with him to be able to put DHS funding directly to that.”
DHS is still weighing its options and determining whether funds should come from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Immigration and Customs Enforcement or another component.
Officials are also considering cross-component partnerships as a way to strengthen counter-UAS capabilities. Mullin said he and Deputy Secretary Troy Edgar have “started talking” about setting up a joint task force inside DHS.
“Out of those 22 components, I have eight that have their own counter-UAS measures,” Mullin said. Divided among the 11 football stadiums for FIFA, Customs and Border Protection is covering five, FBI is covering three, the Coast Guard is covering two and Federal Protective Services is covering one.
“All of them have different measures,” Mullin said.
With more than half of the games in the rearview mirror, 300-plus drones have already been taken down and arrests have been made.
In Dallas, the FBI and Federal Air Marshal Service have seized more than 50 unauthorized drones during games and fan festivities. The FBI’s Miami field office and partners have ticketed 52 operators and seized nearly 60 systems.
“We’ve had some threats come up,” Mullin said. “We’ve been able to knock it down because of our relationship with the FBI, plus ICE which has HSI.”
