Joint Interagency Task Force 401 Publishes Counter-Drone Handbook

uly 8, 2026 | By Joint Interagency Task Force 401 |

Joint Interagency Task Force 401 recently published a practical handbook designed to aid audiences across government, industry and academia in building a shared understanding of the drone threat and the basic principles of protecting against illicit drones.

The task force developed the guide, titled "Small Drones, Big Problems: A First Principles Approach to Countering-UAS," as part of its mission to synchronize counter-unmanned aircraft systems efforts across the War Department and federal interagency partners.

The handbook also establishes a common vocabulary and incorporates the latest information about UAS, including lessons learned from operations in the Middle East and on battlefields in Europe. It explains how adversaries can use drones, outlines the key components of a layered drone defense and examines the factors that enable successful counter-UAS operations.

"It is crucial to build a common foundation for counter-drone efforts as we work with the entire government and interagency partners to respond to this growing threat," said Army Maj. Joe Amoroso, deputy chief of strategic initiatives for JIATF 401. "This guide shares vital first principles and direct feedback from warfighters employing [counter]-UAS systems so the entire community has the means, methods and concepts for countering the defining threat of our time."

The handbook emphasizes a layered approach as the most effective defense against illicit drones, with a variety of tools available to counter threats. It reinforces the importance of capabilities that go beyond technological solutions, including training for warfighters that equips them with the knowledge and permissions they need to respond to drone threats in real time.

Through this publication, JIATF 401 continues its mission to expand counter-UAS capability to warfighters at home and abroad.

"While there is no silver bullet to protect against drones, the threat can be mitigated if we are proactive, work with partners across the government and build a layered defense," said Army Brig. Gen. Matt Ross, task force director. "We have faced novel challenges before, and we should not be intimidated by this one. We should lean in and take every possible step to prepare ourselves to dominate on the modern battlefield."

Army Armaments Center Develops New Counter-UAS Capability

June 24, 2026 | By Tyler Barth, Picatinny Arsenal |

A new effort led by the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Armaments Center demonstrated advancements developed for fire control, enabling the ability to engage and defeat drones with a common remotely operated weapon station while shooting on the move.

The fire control project is a Science and Technology Integration Office software effort that is designing, developing and demonstrating advanced counter-drone fire control capabilities. The project underwent testing in April at the Aberdeen Proving Ground in Aberdeen, Maryland. 
 
According to Nick Cascia, project officer, the initiative began as a mission-driven response to the emerging small unmanned aerial system threat after leadership directed the team to pursue an advanced fire control capability to defeat small drones.

The effort integrated the Armaments Center's Gunslinger fire control, originally developed under the Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft program, and adapted it for ground-to-air targeting. The remote weapon station is able to defeat small moving targets while the vehicle is in motion by using the Gunslinger's fire control, as well as various vehicle sensor feeds, to provide real-time data, ensuring the weapon is accurately aimed at the target drone. 
 
This fire control solution uses a modular open system approach, so the developed software as well as any future enhancements can be shared across the Army. Once matured, the software will improve system accuracy against drones, reducing the number of rounds needed to defeat the threat.

 
According to James Little, deputy project lead, the development team received promising results from their April tests and will iterate and build upon these results in subsequent tests to improve system performance. With these tests, developers will continue to increase the speed of both the vehicle and drone. 
 
"It's a great start to the effort," Cascia explained. "The [project] team has put considerable time and effort into developing our advanced fire control algorithms and preparing for this test. Once we started destroying drones, it showed the hard work was paying off."

Joint Interagency Task Force Integrates Skills, Creates Layered Counter-Drone Defense

Dec. 18, 2025 | By Lt. Col. Adam Scher, Joint Interagency Task Force 401 |

Small unmanned aircraft systems, once largely confined to overseas battlefields, are increasingly being exploited by criminal organizations, cartels and terrorist networks inside the homeland.

In response, the War Department is leading a coordinated, whole-of-government effort to strengthen counter-unmanned aircraft systems capabilities in direct support of military forces and state, local, territorial and tribal law enforcement partners.

At the center of this effort is Joint Interagency Task Force 401, a specialized organization established in August to rapidly integrate, test and deliver C-UAS capabilities. The task force's mission and progress in support of local law enforcement were the focus of a law enforcement symposium held at Joint Base Myer–Henderson Hall in Arlington, Virginia, Dec. 11.

The urgency of that partnership is underscored by recent real-world events, during which drones disrupted air travel in Europe.

"Unmanned systems are a defining threat of our time," said Army Brig. Gen. Matt Ross, JIATF-401 director. "They are prolific, they are evolving rapidly, and they are no longer confined to combat zones. Nothing is more important than defending our homeland, our people and the law enforcement professionals who protect them every day." 

The central focus of JIATF 401's mission is supporting state, local, territorial and tribal law enforcement, particularly as the nation prepares to host major international events like the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the 2028 Summer Olympics. This includes enhanced planning, technical integration and assisting with capability delivery to the 11 U.S. cities scheduled to host World Cup matches.

To accelerate this support, the task force is working in close coordination with the Defense Logistics Agency to assist law enforcement agencies and to leverage a Notice of Funding Opportunity from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The $250 million available is dedicated to counter-UAS and air domain awareness capabilities. Through this partnership, DLA provides contracting expertise, logistics support and scalable procurement pathways to help state, local, territorial and tribal agencies move rapidly to full-fielded capabilities. 

"Our goal is to integrate sensors, effectors and mission command systems into a responsive, interoperable network that protects service members and American citizens alike," Ross said. "By pairing JIATF 401's operational expertise with DLA's logistics and contracting capabilities, we are helping law enforcement turn available grant funding into real, deployable counter-UAS capacity, quickly and responsibly." 

A cornerstone of this effort is the development of a counter-UAS marketplace, a centralized mechanism that allows interagency and law enforcement partners to access DOW test data, operational user feedback and validated procurement options. This approach reduces risk, accelerates fielding timelines and ensures taxpayer resources are applied to proven solutions. 

The symposium also highlighted the need for a shared, integrated air picture across jurisdictions. The Joint Task Force National Capital Region and the Military District of Washington shared their experiences coordinating and executing a counter-drone training exercise, which can serve as a model for municipalities across the country, in Washington, Nov. 17-21.

"We need a common air picture that includes drones," Ross said, citing more than 3,000 drone incursions detected along the southern border in the past year. "That requires integrating data from both classified and unclassified sensors and proliferating active and passive sensing across federal and nonfederal partners. We're not there yet, but we are making measurable progress."

Senior leaders from across the federal and law enforcement enterprises attended the symposium, including Army Secretary Daniel P. Driscoll, and JTF NCR and MDW Commander Army Brig. Gen. Antoinette Gant and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Deputy Director Robert Cekada.

 

Andrew Giuliani, executive director of the White House FIFA Task Force, also participated to highlight how his team is working with JIATF 401 to assist local law enforcement in cities hosting 2026 World Cup matches — underscoring the depth and breadth of the coalition aligned behind this mission.    

Ross said events like this serve as a clear signal of national resolve. Through sustained partnership with state, local, territorial and tribal law enforcement, deliberate integration with DLA, and disciplined use of FEMA grant funding, DOW is strengthening the nation's ability to secure its airspace and protect the American people today, and in the years ahead.  

"JIATF-401 exists to integrate joint and interagency skills to create the layered counter-drone defense our nation requires," he added. 

Drone Busting: Smart Devices Work Together to Knock Out UAS Threats

Sept. 23, 2025 | By Katie Lange, Pentagon News |

What's harder to shoot down than a small drone in the sky? Students at the War Department's only joint training center for countering aerial threats will likely say it's what they practice on — balloons attached to those small drones. 

Drones can fly at racecar speeds, making them difficult targets to hit by an individual on the ground. At the Joint Counter-Small Unmanned Aircraft System University, located at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, students use handheld smart devices to help them increase their probability of scoring a hit. 

Known as the Dronebuster and Smart Shooter, these two handheld systems work in tandem as a layered defense that uses electronic and kinetic warfare to do the hard work for the shooter. 

 Students who attend JCU learn about various drones and the intricate service-specific systems used to engage with them. The Dronebuster and Smart Shooter, however, are two of the few used by service members on the ground, such as patrol members or personnel guarding installation towers.  

So, how do these tandem devices work?  

When service members are warned of a drone presence, the Dronebuster can be held up like a weapon to scan the area. Once it identifies a hostile target, the service member simply presses a button on the device to disrupt the target using electronic warfare. 

 

"It'll start jamming the command and controls, severing that connection between the drone and the operator," explained JCU operator's course instructor Paul Bliefernich.  

The drone remains frozen in the air. That's when a second operator picks up the Smart Shooter, an optic system that attaches to a weapon to control how it fires.

"Typically, when you pull the trigger, you're used to a gun going 'bang.' [The Smart Shooter] doesn't do that," explained JCU operator's course supervisor Fred Hill. "It calculates, and then it shoots when it's ready to shoot." 

"When [shooters] get to the target they want, they'll hit the 'lock' button … and start squeezing the trigger," Bliefernich explained. However, the weapon doesn't immediately fire. Instead, its computer takes over and displays a set of crosshairs in the scope that the operator aligns with the target. When the computer decides there's a good probability of a hit, it sends a command to the pistol grip, allowing the operator to complete the trigger pull and fire the weapon.  

Bliefernich said it can take from a few seconds up to two minutes. "It's doing calculations and taking a lot into consideration," he added.  

Since shooting down several drones per class isn't cost-effective, JCU students mostly shoot balloons attached to drones. It's a more challenging target, but with practice, it can make them a better shot.  

"The balloons are harder to shoot than the drone," Hill said. "Once the shooter gets toward the end of the training, we'll put up the aircraft and let them shoot at the aircraft." 

"It takes a lot of time and practice," Bliefernich said. 

The students are also able to train on the Smart Shooter in the virtual reality lab beforehand, which instructors said is both cost-effective and safer.  

"It's getting the soldiers, airmen and sailors familiar with the equipment before they ever come and start shooting on the ground," said Army Sgt. 1st Class Alan Buhl, JCU instructor.

The school teaches soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines much more than just how to operate handheld drone equipment. Students also learn how to use various fixed-site counter-small UAS systems, as well as how to plan strategies, train others and better prepare their installations for future threats.   

Joint Counter-Small Unmanned Aircraft System University became operational in 2023. Fort Sill is home to the Army Field Artillery School, the Army Air Defense Artillery School, the 75th Fires Brigade and the 31st Air Defense Artillery Brigade, all of which have nurtured counter-small UAS strategies since the threat first emerged.