Case Study
Case Study
Strengthening Border Security Through Strategic Advisory Expertise
How i3CA’s Strategic Advisory Services for National Security Missions equipped CBP with the operational insight and deterrence strategies needed to address emerging drone threats along the southern border.
The Customer and Their Challenge
Headquartered in Houston, Texas, US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is the nation’s largest federal law enforcement agency, responsible for safeguarding America’s borders and facilitating lawful trade and travel while preventing threats from entering the United States. In late 2024, CBP faced mounting concerns over the growing use of unmanned aerial systems (UAS), or drones, by transnational criminal organizations. These drones were increasingly employed to smuggle narcotics and weapons, conduct reconnaissance, and potentially carry out coordinated swarm attacks along the southern border. As drone technology advanced, so did the threats: electronic spoofing, disruption of communications, and potential attacks on personnel became pressing issues for agencies tasked with securing US borders.
The urgency of the situation intensified following the national publication of an article titled “The Vulnerability of the United States to Drone Attack: The Next Challenge,” authored by COL (Ret) Tony Thacker. In response, CBP leadership engaged i3CA’s Strategic Advisory Services, inviting COL Thacker to deliver a strategic briefing at their Houston port facility. Leveraging his decades of operational experience and expertise in countering emerging threats, the objective was to assess the rapidly evolving threat landscape and explore both tactical and policy-level counter-UAS solutions that could be implemented to protect personnel, infrastructure, and operations.
The session drew attention beyond CBP, attracting senior state leadership including Texas Border Czar Michael Banks, underscoring the cross-jurisdictional urgency of addressing drone threats to homeland security.
The Solution: Strategic Threat Awareness and Deterrence Planning
Through i3CA’s Strategic Advisory Services for National Security Missions, COL (Ret) Tony Thacker delivered a tailored threat briefing to CBP leadership in December 2024, focused on the vulnerabilities of US border infrastructure to drone incursions. Drawing on his decades of operational experience in special operations and intelligence, along with insights from his widely published analysis, COL Thacker outlined how the evolving drone threat extends far beyond surveillance or smuggling. He warned that future scenarios could include direct attacks, swarm-based incursions capable of overwhelming defenses, and sophisticated electronic spoofing designed to disrupt critical systems.
COL Thacker’s strategic advisory expertise was essential because CBP needed more than a list of technical options. They required a trusted advisor with deep operational credibility who could translate emerging drone threats into practical, mission-ready strategies that would resonate with both frontline operators and policymakers.
The session provided a comprehensive review of current and emerging drone technologies, real-world cartel tactics, and the operational limitations of existing counter-UAS systems in densely populated or cluttered environments. As part of his strategic advisory services, COL Thacker examined several key capability areas and offered specific guidance on their operational use:
- Electronic Warfare (EW) Systems – COL Thacker advised that EW capabilities are critical for detecting, tracking, and neutralizing drones without relying solely on kinetic measures. He emphasized localized EW assets that can be rapidly deployed to specific threat areas and adjusted for varying terrain and population density.
- Layered Counter-UAS Solutions – He recommended integrating radar, RF detection, jamming, and kinetic interceptors into a single layered system. This approach increases resilience by ensuring that if one layer fails, such as jamming against hardened targets, others remain effective.
- Intelligence and Targeting Frameworks – COL Thacker stressed the need for intelligence-driven counter-UAS operations. By analyzing cartel drone use patterns, flight behaviors, and launch/recovery sites, CBP can anticipate incursions and disrupt them before they reach the border.
- Deterrence Doctrine and Messaging Tools – He advised that technical capabilities should be paired with psychological deterrence. Coordinated messaging through federal-state channels and diplomatic avenues can dissuade escalation by signaling both capability and intent to interdict drone activity.
Throughout the briefing, COL Thacker underscored that no single measure – kinetic, electronic, or procedural, would be sufficient to counter the threat. Without this level of targeted strategic insight, CBP risked relying on fragmented or mismatched counter-UAS measures such as spending resources on systems ill-suited for the border environment and missing opportunities to deter or disrupt cartel drone activity before it escalated. Instead, he advocated for a holistic defense-in-depth strategy combining layered detection, localized EW capabilities, targeted deterrence messaging, and robust interagency coordination.
This strategic framing also informed decision-makers on key funding priorities outlined in the “Big Beautiful Bill,” including provisions for drone countermeasures shaped in part by ongoing threat assessments like this one. By aligning tactical realities with policy considerations, the briefing positioned CBP to make informed, actionable decisions at both the operational and legislative levels. This engagement showcased how i3CA’s Strategic Advisory Services for National Security Missions deliver mission-focused insight, turning complex threat landscapes into clear, actionable strategies for homeland security leaders.
“The insights that you have on the complexities of preventing drone attacks are something we all should become more aware of as this problem continues. You have been ahead of this issue.”
— Michael Banks, Texas Border Czar
Is your organization prepared to address evolving national security threats with informed, mission-focused guidance?
Measurable Benefits and Strategic Impact
i3CA’s Strategic Advisory Services for National Security Missions provided CBP with a deeper operational understanding of the drone threat, translating complex technical and tactical considerations into clear, actionable priorities. The engagement not only enhanced threat awareness but also influenced decision-making at operational, policy, and interagency levels.
Increased Situational Awareness
CBP officers and leadership gained a clear, intelligence-informed picture of current and emerging drone threats, including advanced tactics used by hostile actors and transnational criminal cartels. This understanding enables better resource allocation, operational planning, and rapid threat response.
National Security Policy Influence
COL Thacker’s strategic framing informed high-level conversations on national security funding priorities, particularly for counter-UAS capabilities. Elements of this engagement contributed to provisions in the “Big Beautiful Bill,” ensuring legislative action was aligned with real-world operational needs.
Prevention-Focused Strategy
The briefing facilitated critical dialogue between CBP, state leadership, and national security strategists, helping to close joint operational gaps and establish shared priorities for counter-UAS measures.
State–Federal Coordination
COL Thacker introduced the concept of proactive deterrence, including signaling operational consequences for cross-border attacks. This has since been incorporated into internal planning discussions, positioning CBP to act before threats escalate.
Increased Situational Awareness
Increased Situational Awareness
CBP officers and leadership gained a clear, intelligence-informed picture of current and emerging drone threats, including advanced tactics used by hostile actors and transnational criminal cartels. This understanding enables better resource allocation, operational planning, and rapid threat response.
Policy Influence
COL Thacker’s strategic framing informed high-level conversations on national security funding priorities, particularly for counter-UAS capabilities. Elements of this engagement contributed to provisions in the “Big Beautiful Bill,” ensuring legislative action was aligned with real-world operational needs.
Prevention-Focused Strategy
The briefing facilitated critical dialogue between CBP, state leadership, and national security strategists, helping to close joint operational gaps and establish shared priorities for counter-UAS measures.
State–Federal Coordination
COL Thacker introduced the concept of proactive deterrence, including signaling operational consequences for cross-border attacks. This has since been incorporated into internal planning discussions, positioning CBP to act before threats escalate.
Is your agency ready to turn complex threat intelligence into actionable strategy?
Our Strategic Advisory Services for National Security Missions provide the operational insight and high-level access needed to align capabilities with mission priorities.