Pentagon's New JIATF-401 Task Force Creates Amazon-Style Marketplace for Counter-Drone Tech
- MM24 News Desk
- 5 days ago
- 2 min read
The Pentagon's newly established Joint Interagency Task Force-401 (JIATF-401) is launching an "Amazon-like marketplace" for military bases and federal agencies to purchase counter-drone equipment.
Announced by Army Brig. Gen. Matt Ross, the task force director, this initiative aims to rapidly field technology to counter the growing threat of small unmanned aerial systems (UAS) to domestic military installations and borders.
"We’re going to use all the tools at our disposal to be able to acquire new technology as quickly as possible to get it into the hands of the warfighter," Brig. Gen. Matt Ross told reporters, including from The War Zone.
The marketplace will function as a centralized hub where installation commanders and interagency partners like the FBI and Department of Homeland Security can shop for systems and components, complete with user feedback and performance data.
This push for a streamlined procurement process comes as the U.S. faces an increasing number of drone incursions over critical facilities. The marketplace will offer "hundreds of components" available today, moving away from single, rigid systems toward a modular, "plug-and-play" approach.
Ross emphasized the need for a wide variety of tools, including sensors for detection and non-kinetic effectors for defeat, noting that a one-size-fits-all solution is impractical for differing locations and threats, according to The War Zone.
Beyond just shopping, the task force is tackling a major hurdle: interoperability. "For too long, we’ve struggled with integration," Ross stated. JIATF-401 is working to standardize communication protocols, ensuring that disparate sensors and effectors from different manufacturers can work together seamlessly, much like devices on a home Wi-Fi network. This will allow a base to, for instance, pair a lower-cost radar that meets its specific range needs with the optimal camera and effector.
The task force is also bolstering rapid response capabilities. A key example is U.S. Northern Command's (NORTHCOM) new flyaway kits, which attained operational certification last month. These kits, procured from Anduril, are palletized systems that can be loaded onto a C-130 and dispatched to any domestic installation facing a drone incursion within 24 hours. They include a suite of technology like the Heimdal mobile sensor, Anvil non-kinetic drone interceptors, and the Pulsar electromagnetic warfare effector.
A significant focus remains on the southern border, where Ross recently spent time assessing challenges. The task force is working toward "an integrated, distributed sensing network" along the 1,954-mile border, collaborating with DHS and other agencies.
The goal is to layer sensors and new technologies, including "low-cost attritable interceptors," to defeat threats as they cross, Ross explained to The War Zone. He confirmed drones have already been taken down at the border, though he did not specify the methods used.
Finally, the task force is pushing for expanded legal authorities. Currently, only a portion of U.S. bases fall under "130(i)" provisions, which grant powers to disable or destroy threatening drones.
Ross is advocating for this to be a blanket authority for all installations, providing clear rules of engagement for commanders. To foster enduring partnerships on this evolving threat, JIATF-401 will host a counter-UAS summit with interagency experts on November 25.
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