The Air Force is establishing a new career field and weapon system to counter drone and missile threats to its bases, a direct response to recent attacks on US installations, service officials announced Sept. 16, 2026.
The new career field will focus on operating and maintaining the new weapon system, which is designed to detect, track, and defeat small unmanned aircraft systems and cruise missiles. The service did not disclose the system’s name, cost, or fielding timeline in the announcement.
The decision follows a series of attacks on US bases in the Middle East and elsewhere, which have highlighted the growing threat from low-cost drones and missiles. The Air Force has been exploring ways to bolster base defenses, including directed-energy weapons and other counter-drone systems.
“We are committed to protecting our Airmen and our installations from emerging threats,” said a service official, speaking on condition of anonymity. “This new career field and weapon system will give us the capability to defend against these threats effectively.”
In a related development, BAE Systems unveiled a new family of compact electronic warfare systems, called Shadow EW, on Sept. 15, 2026, at the Air, Space & Cyber Conference in National Harbor, Maryland. The systems are designed to bring electronic warfare capabilities to small drones and other airborne platforms, potentially complementing the Air Force’s new base defense efforts.
The Shadow EW family includes three variants: the Shadow EW 100, Shadow EW 120, and Shadow EW 500. The Shadow EW 100 covers 70 MHz to 6 GHz, the Shadow EW 120 extends coverage down to 5 MHz, and the Shadow EW 500 covers 10 MHz to 18 GHz with two wideband receiver channels for direction finding and geolocation.
The Air Force’s new career field and weapon system are part of a broader effort to adapt to the changing threat environment, where adversaries increasingly use low-cost drones and missiles to attack high-value targets.
Sources: Stars and Stripes · DVIDS News