Overview

• Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth directed the Army to stand up Joint Interagency Task Force 401 and to disestablish the Joint Counter-small UAS Office once the new team is operational.
• The task force reports to the deputy secretary of defense and will be led by a director with acquisition authority empowered to make procurement decisions.
• JIATF 401 can allocate up to $50 million per counter-drone initiative and use expedited hiring to bring in technical expertise outside normal federal processes.
• Early actions include submitting FY-26 unfunded requirements within 30 days, recruiting a technical lead and four service personnel, securing office space within five days, and delivering a full implementation plan in 30 days with monthly progress updates.
• The mandate consolidates department-wide C-sUAS R&D, forensics and exploitation, integrates DIU’s Replicator 2 efforts, preserves service-specific programs, and sets a 36-month sunset review.