Pentagon’s counter-drone task force launches commercial solutions opening
A U.S. government task force focused on countering small unmanned aerial systems has launched a commercial solutions opening as it hunts for new technologies that could aid its mission.
Joint Interagency Task Force 401 was stood up by the Army last year at the direction of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who has made drone and counter-drone tech a top modernization priority for the military.
On Thursday, the Pentagon issued a special notice on a government contracting website about the commercial solutions opening for JIATF 401.
CSOs are intended to cut bureaucratic red tape and help the government onboard new tech faster, including from nontraditional vendors.
In the notice, officials wrote that “this CSO enables the [Department of War] and Interagency Partners to competitively procure solutions through a streamlined acquisition process, allowing for rapid award decisions. This approach underscores our mission to expedite the award and delivery of critical technologies, ensuring that JIATF 401 can leverage advancements in manufacturing swiftly and efficiently. By prioritizing speed in our contracting efforts, we aim to support the timely integration of cutting-edge technologies that enhance operational readiness.”
(The Trump administration has rebranded the Department of Defense as the Department of War, although Congress has not approved the name change.)
Contracts or agreements awarded under this effort are expected to be structured as fixed-price, including fixed-price incentive fee contracts. The Pentagon is now accepting solutions briefs for evaluation, which could lead to requests for presentations and proposals from vendors. Awards under the CSO may be issued through the end of 2028, per the notice.
The counter-drone task force’s capability management offices are accepting white papers.
Capability Management Office – Mobile is focused on acquiring counter-drone tools that can be used “on-the-move” or shifted around easily, including for defense of the southern border, National Security Special Events, foreign technical capability transfer, and emerging requirements from the military services and combatant commands.
“Solutions should focus on rapidly transportable and emplaceable systems that can stand-alone or augment a layered fixed-site defense system,” according to the notice.
Capability Management Office – Fixed Site, as the name suggests, is focused on acquiring tech to protect fixed locations from small UAS. Its purview includes a newly launched marketplace where officials can shop for counter-drone capabilities.
Capability Management Office – Command and Control aims to promote C2 “commonality” and interoperability across agencies with counter-drone missions to “enhance collective situational awareness and response capabilities,” according to the notice. The office’s responsibilities include “end-to-end C2 systems and the underlying technologies that enable broad integration.”
Key areas of interest include “platform-agnostic” integration layers, universal data models, decision support and automation, operator interface and user experience, sensor fusion and cross-domain information-sharing.
To help meet the needs of “Task Force East,” JIATF 401 is currently seeking an integrated counter-drone solution that provides a “layered defense” through both fixed-site and mobile capabilities, according to the notice.
Offerors’ technologies must be able to equip four “zones” and six Infantry Squad Vehicles with a suite of sensors and “effectors.” Tower-mounted systems for each of the zones must include active radar, passive radar, electronic warfare and/or cyber “defeat” capability, data transport with encrypted communications and low latency, and edge data mesh, among other criteria outlined in an attachment to the notice.
The ISV-mounted systems must include an EW and/or cyber “defeat” capability, as well as encrypted communications and low latency data transport.
The suspense date for submittals for that specific Task Force East area of interest is March 6.
