A US Army cadet believes drone swarms could be defeated not only with new weapons, but by making existing systems smarter with advanced algorithms.
West Point Cadet Alex Anteen is leading a research initiative focused on “alternative engagement algorithms” that analyze incoming threats based on factors such as speed, altitude, payload capacity, and swarm density.
The algorithms use machine learning and advanced probabilistic models to help commanders reserve expensive weapons for high-value targets while directing cheaper defenses against smaller threats.
According to Anteen, the algorithms are designed to improve how automated or semi-automated systems decide which countermeasure to use against specific targets.
The approach aims to create “smarter, more adaptable systems” that maximize lethality while reducing overall operational costs.
Anteen’s algorithms are currently in the simulation and modeling phase, where they are being tested against complex drone-swarm attack scenarios.
Early results reportedly indicate significant improvements in engagement efficiency and a lower depletion rate of air-defense rounds.
Solving an Emerging Issue
The Russo-Ukrainian War and other regional conflicts have seen the growing use of low-cost drones, changing how military forces approach the battlefield.
While conventional air-defense systems remain vital against larger aerial threats, they can be inefficient against swarms of smaller, mass-produced drones.
Anteen’s algorithms aim to address this challenge by helping a single air-defense system engage swarms using more efficient strategies.
Instead of simply targeting the nearest threat, the system can factor in variables such as the swarm’s composition and capabilities to determine the most appropriate response, without requiring major hardware modifications.
A Cadet-Army Engineer Team Up
Anteen has worked with engineers and scientists from the US Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Armaments Center throughout the development of the algorithms.
As a West Point cadet, the partnership gives him hands-on experience while helping advance counter-drone technologies for the US Army.
The service describes Anteen’s algorithms as “a critical step in ensuring that US forces maintain air domain awareness and operational superiority in any theater.”
It added that it expects to pursue more partnerships with students from its military academy as part of its ongoing modernization efforts.
