SECRECY NEWS
from the FAS Project on Government Secrecy
Volume 2016, Issue No. 85
October 25, 2016

Secrecy News Blog: http://fas.org/blogs/secrecy/

DEFENDING U.S. FORCES AGAINST ENEMY DRONES

Enemy use of unmanned aerial systems (UAS) is a growing threat to U.S. forces because of their low cost, versatility, and ease of use, according to a recent U.S. Army doctrinal publication.

"The UAS is the most challenging and prevalent threat platform to combined arms forces and therefore, a logical choice for enemy use."

See Techniques for Combined Arms for Air Defense, Army Techniques Publication (ATP) 3-01.8, July 29, 2016.

As is the case with U.S.-operated drones, enemy UAS can be used to perform a range of functions from battlefield surveillance and targeting to precision strike, the Army document said. "The enemy will use UAS to fulfill multiple attack roles."

The drone may deliver a weapon or be used as a weapon itself. "As an indirect attack platform, the UAS has the ability to carry the improvised explosive device or become the improvised explosive device."

"Perhaps the most dangerous COA [course of action]... is the Swarm" in which "clusters of UAS" are used by an adversary simultaneously for surveillance, indirect attack and direct attack.

What to do about this? The answer is not fully articulated in the Army manual.

"Proper planning by leaders will ensure that units employ adequate force protection measures to counter the UAS threat. Units must develop tactics, techniques and procedures to counter this threat in their respective areas of operation."

Simply destroying the enemy drone is not necessarily the right move, the manual said.

"Defeat does not equate [to] kinetic means; however, it is an option. Other defeat solutions could be limiting a surveillance threat from gaining information or following the air path of the UAS to the operator."

Islamic State forces have used drones bearing explosive devices, the New York Times reported this month. See "Pentagon Confronts a New Threat From ISIS: Exploding Drones" by Michael S. Schmidt and Eric Schmitt, October 11.

Just last week, the U.S. Air Force detected and destroyed a drone "in the vicinity" of U.S. forces, Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James said yesterday. See "Air Force: Small, weaponized drones a growing combat problem" by Jacqueline Klimas, Washington Examiner, October 24.

CONTESTING A PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION, AND MORE FROM CRS

The feasibility of challenging the outcome of a presidential election is examined in a new report from the Congressional Research Service.

"If legitimate and verifiable allegations of voting fraud, or indications of misconduct by election officials on election day are presented, what legal recourses are available to complainants to litigate and potentially to remedy such wrongs and to contest the result of a presidential election?" the report inquires.

Although the presidential election is a national event, it is actually comprised of fifty separate state elections, plus the one in the District of Columbia.

Therefore, "it is an individual state that has the initial responsibility for resolving a challenge, recount, or contest to the results of a presidential election within that jurisdiction," wrote CRS Legislative Attorney Jack Maskell. See Legal Processes for Contesting the Results of a Presidential Election, October 24, 2016:

Other new and updated reports from the Congressional Research Service include the following.

Partisan Political Activities and Federal Workers: Questions in the 2016 Election, CRS Legal Sidebar, October 20, 2016:

State Voter Identification Requirements: Analysis, Legal Issues, and Policy Considerations, updated October 21, 2016:

Yemen: Recent Attacks Against U.S. Naval Vessels in the Red Sea, CRS Insight, October 21, 2016:

U.S.-South Korea Relations, updated October 20, 2016:

DHS Appropriations FY2017: Research and Development, Training, and Services, October 20, 2016:

Navy Lasers, Railgun, and Hypervelocity Projectile: Background and Issues for Congress, updated October 21, 2016:

Russian Compliance with the Intermediate Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty: Background and Issues for Congress, October 20, 2016:

Iran's Foreign and Defense Policies, updated October 21, 2016:

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Secrecy News is written by Steven Aftergood and published by the Federation of American Scientists.

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