Operation Falcon Peak 26.2 concludes testing at YPG

YUMA COUNTY, Ariz. (KYMA) - The skies above Yuma turned into a high-tech testing space as military leaders and tech innovators wrapped up a month-long operation out at Yuma Proving Ground (YPG).

Falcon Peak 26.2 is a counter-small un-manned aircraft systems experiment and demonstration operation. It uses drones to protect the southern border and aerial space.

Acting U.S Secretary of the Army Adam Telle YPG Thursday to witness a live demonstration first-hand. He saw how the drones operate.

Lt. Col. Kevin Hicks said the testing has given leaders new ideas throughout the past month.

"There is a wide breadth of industry partners out there that are here to support protecting America and American assets and they're ready to learn," Lt. Col. Hicks explained. "Using an area like Yuma's test center, they're able to come out, they're going to test, they're going to learn what is going right and what is going wrong. And they're able to crack the issues very quickly."

Throughout the operation, this was a learning experience to strengthen their tools and protect others going forward.

"We’ve been able to test some of those systems out here specifically for this event, as well as prior to deploying them. So it’s enabling us to provide a layered defense for the American people," Lt. Col. Hicks said.

Over the past month, the leaders revealed that they’ve had 378 detections, 75 turn-backs, 12 engagements and one drone capture on the border.

Angela Aspito, the, Arizona Defense Innovation managing director says when it comes to intercepting drones, they want to investigate it to make everyone safe.

“So counter U.A.S is not just let’s find a drone and let’s destroy it. It’s let’s find a drone, let’s find out what that drone is doing, let’s find out if that drone is a threat and then let’s determine the best way to defeat that capability in the safest way possible for the folks all around," Aspito said.

This is the fourth overall Falcon Peak operation, but it's the first time Yuma has hosted it.