CHEYENNE, Wyoming — The U.S. Air Force is purchasing Chinese-made DJI drones for counter-drone training at F.E. Warren Air Force Base in Wyoming. The aircraft will be used as realistic stand-ins to train security personnel to detect, track and defeat small unmanned aircraft systems.
The purchase is intended to allow the 90th Missile Security Operations Squadron (90 MSOS), under Air Force Global Strike Command, to test radar, electronic warfare, jamming and other counter-drone systems against the actual radio-frequency signals produced by DJI aircraft rather than relying only on computer simulations.
On August 14, 2026, the 90th Contracting Squadron posted a combined synopsis and solicitation, identified as FA461326Q1042, seeking a small business vendor to provide the aircraft. Vendor quotes are due August 24.
DJI drones requested
The procurement document identifies the requested equipment as the “Red Fleet.” The order includes:
- Two refurbished DJI Mavic 2 Pro quadcopters with Fly More kits
- Two DJI Mini 3 Pro drones with remote controllers
- Two DJI Avata 2 Fly More combos
- Six airdrop payload release devices
- Shipping
The Air Force plans to award a firm fixed-price contract to the lowest-priced offer that meets the technical requirements.
Contracting officials designated the purchase as a brand-name requirement, meaning the Air Force specifically requires DJI products rather than accepting equivalent drones from other manufacturers.
A justification document signed July 29 by Contracting Officer Technical Sergeant Chad A. Evans said DJI controls an estimated 80 to 85 percent of the global commercial drone market. The document also states that DJI's proprietary electronic protocols, radio-frequency signatures and flight capabilities are not accurately replicated by American-made drones or other manufacturers.
According to the justification, using the actual DJI aircraft is necessary to test counter-drone systems against the equipment that adversaries are statistically most likely to use. The document says relying only on domestic drones or simulated data would leave security personnel without training against DJI's actual radio signatures and communication protocols.
Training for nuclear missile field security
F.E. Warren Air Force Base is one of three U.S. Air Force bases that operate Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missiles. Its security personnel are responsible for protecting the missile fields against ground and airborne threats.
The 90 MSOS requires the DJI aircraft for counter-small unmanned aircraft systems training as part of its nuclear security mission. The drones will provide live targets and signals for personnel testing detection and defeat capabilities.
The justification also notes that Malmstrom Air Force Base in Montana, another Air Force Global Strike Command missile base, is already using or pursuing similar DJI platforms for counter-drone training. The F.E. Warren procurement is intended to support more consistent threat replication across Global Strike Command's missile fields.
Air Force plans cybersecurity safeguards
Although the aircraft are manufactured in China, the Air Force plans to modify the drones before they are used for training.
The justification states that every DJI aircraft will be loaded with U.S.-made software called RIZER. According to the document, the software overrides the drones' native firmware and creates an air-gapped system that prevents the aircraft from transferring or downloading telemetry or imagery to foreign entities or Department of War networks.
The justification says similar RIZER-equipped DJI drones have previously been procured by other Air Force units for counter-small unmanned aircraft systems testing and training.
Legal authority for the purchase
The procurement document cites a July 2025 memorandum from Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, titled “Unleashing U.S. Military Drone Dominance,” as the authority for acquiring small quantities of foreign drone equipment for electronic warfare testing, training and counter-UAS development.
The memo allows officers at the O-6 (colonel) level or equivalent to use the authority provided under 10 U.S.C. 2304(c)(1) to procure foreign drone equipment under specified circumstances without full and open competition.
The requirement is still being conducted as a 100 percent small business set-aside because the contracting squadron identified multiple authorized DJI distributors capable of supplying the requested equipment. It is therefore not a single-source award to DJI itself.
The purchase is part of F.E. Warren's broader efforts to improve security against small unmanned aircraft. Recent activities have included multi-command counter-small unmanned aircraft systems qualification training at Camp Guernsey Joint Training Center in Wyoming involving personnel from Air Force Global Strike Command, Air Combat Command, U.S. Strategic Command and the Air National Guard.
F.E. Warren is also transitioning helicopter support from the UH-1N Huey to the MH-139A Grey Wolf as part of broader upgrades to its nuclear security mission.
——— End of Article ———
