Dozens of Federal Agencies Begin Joint Effort to Counter Drone Threats
Nov. 26, 2025 | By C. Todd Lopez (Rephrased)
More than 180 specialists from the War Department and several federal agencies met this week to launch a three-year plan aimed at improving counter-small unmanned aircraft system (sUAS) capabilities. The initiative seeks to strengthen homeland security and protect U.S. forces from the growing danger posed by small drones.
Task Force JIATF 401 Begins Work
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth created the Joint Interagency Task Force 401 (JIATF 401) in August. Earlier this month, senior leaders from the department and partner agencies — including Army Secretary Dan Driscoll — gathered at the White House to discuss how to use the task force to defend the homeland more effectively.
In his directive, Hegseth stressed the need for faster, more affordable transformation and tighter integration of new systems. He urged the task force to move “with speed over process” and to field new capabilities faster than emerging threats. He said the task force’s 36-month mission supports the president’s goal of restoring U.S. air sovereignty.
Federal Agencies Align Efforts
Representatives from nearly 50 agencies — including the Department of Homeland Security, FBI, Transportation Department and FAA — met for the task force’s introductory summit at the Mark Center in Alexandria, Virginia.
Brig. Gen. Matt Ross, commander of the joint task force, said no single organization can counter the rapid expansion of drone threats alone.
“We want to build a community of action, not just a community of interest,” he said. “The threat is real, constant and growing.”
Drone Threat Expands Beyond Combat Zones
Ross warned that small drones have become one of the defining security challenges of this era. They evolve quickly, spread widely, and are no longer limited to battlefields. Criminals and small groups now have access to surveillance and strike capabilities once restricted to nation-states.
He highlighted the task force’s three major priorities:
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Defending the homeland
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Improving warfighter lethality
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Strengthening joint force training
Immediate Focus Areas: Washington, the Southern Border, and World Cup 2026
In the near term, the task force will support homeland defense efforts in the National Capital Region, at the southern border, and during the FIFA World Cup in June 2026 — a designated national special security event.
Ross revealed troubling numbers from U.S. Northern Command and Joint Task Force Southern Border: more than 3,000 drone incursions over the border in the past year and more than 60,000 drones observed just south of it.
He emphasized that defeating this threat requires better communication and information-sharing, not just new hardware.
“We need a common air picture that includes drones,” he said. He added that agencies must integrate sensor data across classification levels and expand both active and passive surveillance tools along the border.
Strengthening Surveillance and Response
In the National Capital Region, the task force will study how agencies can track drones across the airspace, share this information, and ensure authorities can quickly neutralize threats when needed.
Although progress is ongoing, Ross acknowledged that full integration has not yet been achieved.
Preparing for Major Events
Because the 2026 World Cup is a top security priority, JIATF 401 is working to make sure law-enforcement teams can access proven counter-UAS equipment through the Defense Logistics Agency.
Ross emphasized that securing the homeland requires close cooperation across all levels of government — federal, state, local, tribal and territorial.
DHS and FBI Support Collaboration
DHS Undersecretary for Science and Technology Daniel Tamburello said Homeland Security and Northcom share overlapping responsibilities to protect the United States.
“Interagency cooperation is essential,” he said. The UAS threat, he noted, is expanding rapidly as drones become cheaper, more accessible and widely used by malicious actors.
Tamburello said the task force aims to improve interoperability among all agencies and ensure taxpayer funds go toward the best solutions.
FBI Strengthens Training and Preparedness
FBI unit chief Micheal Torphy, who oversees the bureau’s UAS and counter-UAS programs, praised the task force for its early interagency coordination. He said the new National Counter-UAS Training Center in Huntsville, Alabama, will train state, local, tribal and territorial officers ahead of major events such as the World Cup, America 250 and the Olympics.
Torphy said the task force’s unified structure will help agencies work more effectively together.
“The rollout has been exceptional,” he said. “We’re greatly encouraged by the direction this is heading.”
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