Pendleton UAS Range and Gambit Partner to Deliver Red Force as aService for Counter UAS Testing and Training

Why It Matters

The partnership gives manufacturers and agencies a repeatable, high‑fidelity environment to prove counter‑UAS solutions under realistic pressure, accelerating deployment confidence. As threats become more autonomous and coordinated, such testing is essential for national security and infrastructure protection.

Key Takeaways

• Partnership offers Red Force as Service for cUAS testing.
• Live demo scheduled April 23 at Pendleton UAS Range.
• Gambit provides adaptive, behavior‑based AI for coordinated threats.
• Real‑world airspace enables validation of detection and engagement.
• Non‑kinetic tests follow safety and regulatory frameworks.

Pulse Analysis

The surge in commercial and hostile drone activity has turned counter‑UAS (cUAS) systems into a strategic priority for the Department of Defense, Homeland Security and critical‑infrastructure operators. Traditional lab‑based evaluations often fall short of replicating the dynamic, cluttered airspace where autonomous threats can swarm, evade, and adapt. As budgets for cUAS procurement climb—projected to exceed $5 billion globally by 2027—vendors face pressure to demonstrate not just baseline detection but robust performance against coordinated attacks. A realistic testing venue therefore becomes a decisive factor in winning contracts and ensuring operational readiness.

Pendleton UAS Range’s Red Force as a Service fills that gap by offering a structured, 14,000‑square‑mile FAA‑approved corridor where multiple threat drones can operate under synchronized flight plans. Gambit’s behavior‑based intelligence layer translates operator intent into real‑time, adaptive tactics, allowing heterogeneous platforms to act as a cohesive adversary swarm. The non‑kinetic default ensures safety while still stressing sensor suites, decision‑making algorithms, and engagement workflows. By integrating high‑speed fiber, on‑site command centers and a dedicated air‑traffic‑control tower, the range delivers end‑to‑end data capture and rapid iteration for system developers.

For manufacturers, the ability to validate a cUAS solution against a live, learning adversary shortens the development cycle and reduces costly redesigns. Federal agencies gain confidence that purchased systems will perform under contested conditions, mitigating procurement risk. Moreover, the service’s repeatable scenario library can be tailored to specific threat profiles, from small hobbyist quadcopters to larger fixed‑wing platforms, supporting a broader spectrum of customers. As autonomous drone swarms become more prevalent, partnerships like Pendleton‑Gambit are likely to set a new industry standard for rigorous, scalable counter‑UAS testing.