CIERVO IV exercise concludes in Lest with multinational deployment of UAS and C/UAS capabilities

• Spain leads this advanced training in unmanned systems on NATO's eastern flank

The Multinational Brigade Task Force Slovakia (MN BDE TF SVK), under Spanish leadership, has conducted the CIERVO IV exercise at the MTA Lešť training area, a training activity focused on the use of unmanned aerial systems (UAS) and the application of counter-UAS (C/UAS) measures in an environment characterized by a high density of drones in the airspace.

The one-day exercise was carried out within the framework of NATO's Flank East operation and brought together military personnel from Spain, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Portugal. During the activity, more than 30 UAS flew simultaneously, combining commercial platforms, commercially available FPV (first-person view) drones—capable of sending live video images—and Army equipment systems, in order to reproduce realistic scenarios of air saturation.

Spain took charge of the exercise, which was structured around three main objectives. The first was to train UAS operators, who had to keep a constant number of aircraft in the air and carry out reconnaissance, transport, and cargo drop missions, as well as simulated impact missions, coordinating actions between units and managing airspace, interference, and potential collisions.

The second objective of the exercise focused on training military personnel in charge of the CERVUS system. Integrated throughout the exercise into different maneuvering units, this team faced the detection and management of an exceptionally high volume of simultaneous drones, which allowed for the evaluation of their ability to process complex information in very short time windows.

Finally, the third objective focused on verifying the capabilities of the CERVUS system itself. The system demonstrated reliable performance in highly dynamic scenarios with high air density, confirming its operational maturity in complex scenarios. The exercise also identified areas that will contribute to further optimizing its capabilities and strengthening its integration into the overall C/UAS defense system.

Long-term objectives

In addition to its immediate objectives, CIERVO IV explored a concept of C/UAS protection based on complementary layers, in line with technological developments and the growing presence of drones on the modern battlefield. C/UAS warfare is understood in three dimensions: detection, active measures, and passive measures, with the exercise focusing on the first two. The maneuver sought to reproduce how a brigade can organize its defense against UAS through a combination of vehicle-mounted systems, short-range portable equipment, expanded capabilities assigned to cavalry units, and longer-range elements for the protection of command posts and critical areas.

This layered approach does not aim for absolute overlap, but rather to provide each level of the unit with a margin of self-defense and improved early warning, optimizing collective protection within current technical limitations. CIERVO IV allowed for practical verification of the interaction between these capabilities and evaluation of the effectiveness of their coordinated use in an environment saturated with UAS.

All in all, the results of the exercise have highlighted the high level of training achieved by the Spanish contingent's UAS operators, who successfully carried out a wide range of actions in a high-density air environment. The validation of the CERVUS system and the interaction between C/UAS and UAS capabilities consolidates a significant advance in force protection.

CIERVO IV is a solid starting point for the development of the UAS and C/UAS capabilities of the MN BDE TF SVK, reinforcing the level of technical expertise achieved by the Spanish contingent and its preparedness to deal with complex scenarios in the defense and deterrence of the Alliance's eastern flank.