JIATF 401 Archives

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth tests a Dronebuster while touring static displays led by the 3rd Battalion, 10th Mountain Division (3/10 MTN) Warriors and Foreign Legion Force Poland Battle Group in Powidz, Poland, Feb. 15, 2025. (DoD photo by U.S. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Alexander C. Kubitza)

Hegseth issues new directive to hasten U.S. military’s counter-drone pursuits

The nation’s counter-drone task force “will not accept a slow-moving bureaucracy when faced with a fast-moving threat,” a spokesperson said.

Oct 2, 2026 By Brandi Vincent

Director of Joint Interagency Task Force 401 Brigadier General Matthew Ross tours Yuma Test Center at Yuma Proving Ground in Yuma, Ariz., Sept. 22, 2026, ahead of the Falcon Peak demonstration. (DOD Photo by Ana Henderson)

How AI agents are informing JIATF-401’s procurement plans after Falcon Peak

Joint Interagency Task Force 401's director shared new details about the counter-drone hub’s new “tech arsenal."

Oct 1, 2026 By Brandi Vincent

Spc. Brandon Mack, a small unmanned aircraft system operator assigned to 1st Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Armored Combat Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, looks through his SMASH 2000L optic, a counter-sUAS tracking scope developed by SMARTSHOOTER, during rotation 26-02 at the National Training Center, Fort Irwin, California, Nov. 2, 2025. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Julian A. Winston)

Pentagon task force, Army announce billions in counter-drone tech awards

So far, however, less than one percent — $50 million — of the ten new awards have been obligated, officials said, with the rest contingent on congressional…

Sep 29, 2026 By Drew F. Lawrence

A pile of discarded drone parts, taken down during Falcon Peak 26.2. (Photo by Brandi Vincent)

What’s unique about Northcom’s Falcon Peak 26.2 counter-drone exercise

Anduril’s autonomous command-and-control software platform Lattice brings something new to this series of demonstrations.

Sep 23, 2026 By Brandi Vincent

A U.S. Army soldier with 4th Battalion, 27th Field Artillery Regiment, 101st Airborne Division, assigned to Joint Task Force-Southern Border (JTF-SB), monitors the southern border through binoculars during a patrol in Yuma, Az., Jan. 5, 2026. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Sawyer Carleton)

After back-to-back airspace blunders earlier this year, border task force shoots down ‘cartel-linked’ drones with AV laser

Over two days this week, Joint Task Force-Southern Border used the Army Multipurpose High Energy Laser system to engage three "hostile" UAS, according to a press release.

Aug 28, 2026 By Drew F. Lawrence

U.S. Air Force Senior Airman John Ives, 90th Ground Combat Training Squadron defender, pilots a drone during an X4 and SMASH 2000L Systems Firing Qualification at Camp Guernsey Joint Training Center’s North Training Area, Wyoming, May 15, 2026. The drone carried balloon targets to help operators practice acquiring, tracking and engaging simulated aerial threats. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Michael A. Richmond)

One year in, America’s counter-drone task force still has ‘a ton of work to do’

JIATF-401 leaders met to discuss inroads made and what’s next as pressure mounts to mitigate domestic UAS threats.

Aug 24, 2026 By Brandi Vincent Lindsey Wilkinson

U.S. Air Force Airmen attach balloons to a drone during at Camp Guernsey Joint Training Center’s North Training Area, Wyoming, May 15, 2026. The balloons served as aerial targets, allowing defenders to simulate engagements against small unmanned aircraft systems. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Michael A. Richmond)

U.S. military to host directed energy ‘shoot-off’ amid governmentwide counter-drone push

Officials leading the Joint Interagency Task Force 401 shared new details about that pilot program and other updates on recent progress.

Aug 21, 2026 By Brandi Vincent

Army Staff Sgt. Kristopher Runyon, assigned to Joint Task Force-Southern Border, aims a Dronebuster Counter-Small Unmanned Aircraft System (C-sUAS) during a patrol along the Rio Grande River near Eagle Pass, Texas, June 14, 2025. (U.S. Army photo by Pvt. Adrianna Douglas)

Top Northcom general adds to drumbeat of warnings about weak drone defenses in the homeland

“We’re seeing it used on a daily basis around the world, and we’ve got to figure out how to mitigate that threat,” Army Lt. Gen. Joseph Jarrard…

Aug 14, 2026 By Drew F. Lawrence

U.S. Air Force Airmen attach balloons to a drone during an X4 and SMASH 2000L Systems Firing Qualification at Camp Guernsey Joint Training Center’s North Training Area, Wyoming, May 15, 2026. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Michael A. Richmond)

Pentagon’s counter-drone hub picked software startup Kaizen to develop c-UAS marketplace for $15M

The company built and deployed the system, which went live two weeks ago, from a “blank slate” in less than nine weeks, according to Kaizen's CEO.

Aug 4, 2026 By Drew F. Lawrence

U.S. service members and civilian contractors with CACI work at the operations center during the SkyValor Operational Demonstration at Cannon Air Defense Complex in Yuma, Arizona, May 13, 2026. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Sarah E. Foster)

Pentagon’s counter-drone task force inks $500M contract for SkyValor ‘detect and defeat’ system after border testing

The system will be deployed to “critical,” but unspecified sites, including as part of an initial task order for the Pentagon’s Domestic Shield initiative.

Jul 31, 2026 By Drew F. Lawrence