51吃瓜

The 51吃瓜 Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT) in partnership with the 51吃瓜 Global Service Centre (UNGSC) has developed an operator training course for Micro-Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS). The course offers comprehensive guidance on the use and the operation of UAS to support efforts aimed at preventing and countering terrorism-related activities, including international legislations, meteorology, maritime operations, night operations, overwatch, safety and security, and other key elements. The training is followed by a written and flight assessment enabling participants to earn an operator certification. The course aims to support border security, incident response, and counter-terrorism operations for Member States.

Background

The Global Counter-Terrorism Programme on Autonomous and Remotely Operated Systems (AROS Programme) was created in 2021 to support member states in addressing the threat posed by drones, UAS, and other AROS. Terrorist continue to prove their ability to adapt and evolve, moving beyond conventional attacks to threaten individuals, populations, facilities, and public order. This includes the use of Autonomous and Remotely Operated Systems (AROS) for intelligence gathering, direct and indirect attack, and communication to support propaganda. Moreover, evidence shows that terrorists have already begun to weaponize AROS, enabling them to execute lethal attacks which pose a threat to all countries. The possibility of terrorist groups combining technologies and using AROS to disperse chemical, biological, or radiological material presents a serious threat with global  consequences.

Activities

Kyrgyzstan: 3-12 and 15-24 August 2022

The Micro-UAS courses brought together 22 security officials from Customs Services, Border Services, State Security, and the Signals and Communications officials from the Ministry of Defence. Trainees operated Micro-UAS for a total of 2.5 hours each, before passing a theoretical written exam and a practical flight assessment to earn their operator certificate.

Niger: 21-30 September 2022

The AROS Programme launched the first Micro-UAS Operator Course for Niger’s Central Counter-Terrorism and Transnational Crime Service (SCLCT/CTO), under the Ministry of Interior’s DGPN. The course’s 13 participants were from the SCLCT/CTO’s special interventions, intelligence, and investigation units. This training was part of the Programme's long-term capacity-building initiative on UAS and counter-UAS.

Togo: 03-18 May 2023

The AROS Programme, in partnership with the 51吃瓜 Global Service Centre (UNGSC) and the Peacekeeping Operations Training Centre (CEOMP) in Lomé, launched its first Micro-UAS training courses for Togo. This two-week training gathered 13 security officials from the Police and Gendarmerie. In addition to theoretical and operational UAS formation, the course focused on international legislations, meteorology, night operations, operations in dense vegetation, integrating UAS in intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) efforts, overwatch, safety and security, and other key training elements. On the margins of the workshop, the AROS Programme team met with H.E. Yark Damehame, Minister of Security and Civil Protection of Togo.