U.S. Northern Command says it thwarted a drone threat over a ‘strategic’ installation hours into the Iran war

U.S. Northern Command thwarted a drone threat over an undisclosed strategic military installation hours after President Trump launched Operation Epic Fury against Iran on Feb. 28, using a new "Flyaway Kit" (FAK) counter-drone system, according to Gen. Gregory Guillot in testimony to the Senate Armed Services Committee. The FAK combines AI-enabled radar, optical sensors, and drone interceptors to detect and eliminate unmanned aerial threats at military sites. Northcom withheld the base's location and drone details to preserve operational security, but the incident highlights growing concerns about drone incursions over U.S. military installations linked to potential Iranian retaliation. Guillot confirmed Northcom has already purchased one FAK with additional units arriving in late spring 2026, and the system was tested and certified at Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota during a nuclear command exercise last October. The general told lawmakers that countering evolving drone threats requires "multiple mediums" of defeat mechanisms across satellite denial, electronic warfare, and kinetic interception.