Stavros Atlamazoglou
Although the US military has been using unmanned aerial systems for intelligence and kinetic missions for decades, the Pentagon rightly recognizes that drone technology continues to evolve.
The US Army is creating a new joint interagency unit to counter the threat of small Russian, Iranian, and Chinese drones.
The move comes after global military events have highlighted the acute threat of small unmanned aerial systems.
The Pentagon Just Set Up a New Counter-Drone Unit
Last week, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth announced in a memorandum the establishment of a new interagency task force to lead the quest for counter-drone capabilities.
Joint Interagency Task Force 401 (JIATF 401) will serve as the Pentagon’s point organization for testing, developing, and introducing technologies for countering small unmanned aerial systems.
“The Department has maintained pace with its adversaries in conventional warfighting capabilities. However, the small UAS threat continues to grow exponentially and is becoming increasingly sophisticated,” the Secretary of Defense noted in his memorandum.
Hegseth referred to issues resulting from the number of Pentagon counter-drone organizations that have increased since 2020. More does not necessarily mean better, the Secretary of Defense suggested, highlighting that the different units “often are unconnected to each other … DoD needs a single focal point to centralize, coordinate, and lead these efforts.”
Per Hegseth’ memorandum, the Secretary of the Army has until the end of the month to provide an implementation plan that includes the necessary resources, structure, and authorities to enable the new counter-drone unit to commence operations.
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