During the Northern Strike 26-2 exercise held at the National All-Domain Warfighting Center in Michigan, U.S. Air Force medical personnel tested specialized counter-unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) tactics during field hospital support scenarios. The training integrated simulated drone attacks against a field hospital setup at the Alpena Combat Readiness Training Center, requiring Airmen completing Expeditionary Medical Support certifications to counter aerial threats while managing casualty evacuations.
The exercise incorporated frontline operational experience shared by visiting Ukrainian military doctors, emphasizing the vulnerability of standard field tents to persistent drone threats. To mitigate simulated UAV strikes, participants deployed specialized anti-drone netting to form protected evacuation corridors, neutralized threats using small arms fire, and deployed a quadruped unmanned ground vehicle to inspect downed airframes before transferring casualties to a hardened Cold War-era underground shelter, as reported by DVIDS.
Northern Strike 26-2, conducted from August 1 to 15, 2026, brought together approximately 9,000 participants across joint and multinational forces. The medical component involved over 100 active-duty and Air National Guard personnel from seven units, with high-level observers including Lt. Gen. John J. DeGoes, Air Force Surgeon General. Officials noted that the inclusion of drone stress inoculation events reflects an evolving requirement to adapt medical tactics to modern operational environments where UAV proliferation poses an active threat to support infrastructure.
