WASHINGTON — The Joint Interagency Task Force 401 (JIATF-401) hosted an Industry Day, bringing together representatives from industry and government partners to discuss collaboration and accelerate the development of counter-small Unmanned Aerial Systems (c-sUAS) capabilities at the Hilton Alexandria Mark Center, Alexandria, Va., on March 5, 2026.

The event provided a forum for JIATF-401 leadership to outline the organization’s mission, priorities and acquisition approaches while allowing industry partners to engage directly with government stakeholders on emerging technology and operational needs.

“I want you to know what we’re doing to make your products accessible to our customers and what we’re doing to expand that customer base so we can get greater depth in our industrial base,” said U.S. Army Brig. Gen. Matt Ross, Director, JIATF-401.

Ross highlighted how the accessibility and low cost of small unmanned systems have changed the security environment. Systems that were once limited are now widely available, allowing smaller groups or individuals to operate capabilities which previously required significant resources.

“What they’re concerned about is the proliferation of small unmanned systems that are inexpensive and give capability that was previously reserved for state adversaries to small groups and individuals,” Ross continued. “It’s not a new thing, but if you give them the ability to conduct some type of attack without fear of attribution or accountability, that changes the paradigm.”

He emphasized that industry feedback is necessary to address gaps in current systems and improve how c-sUAS technologies are integrated across the Department of War and interagency partners. He noted that companies frequently ask what standards or protocols their systems must meet to integrate with existing c-sUAS ecosystems.

“One of the things we want to do is change the way the department is thinking about counter-sUAS,” Ross said. “One of the ways we can incorrectly think about the problem is in how we manage risk or how we accomplish the mission. Instead of defeating the threat of a system, we have to think about the broader problem.”

This shift in thinking requires focusing on operational outcomes, rather than simply targeting individual systems and countering-small unmanned aircraft. It requires understanding how those platforms are used and how they enable broader mission effects. The growing complexity of the threat environment means there is no single system capable of addressing every scenario. Instead, organizations must rely on a layered approach that combines different capabilities to detect, track and defeat unmanned systems.

“I’m not asking for a 100 percent solution to defeat every drone – the silver bullet,” Ross concluded. “What we need is a layered defense: awareness, different capabilities and an ecosystem that works together so we can defeat threats consistently.”

Ross mentioned that continued collaboration between government and industry will be essential to developing those layered defenses and ensuring effective integration of c-sUAS technologies, supporting our warfighters at home and abroad.

By SGT Tien Dat Ngo

GRAFENWOEHR, Germany — The senior enlisted advisor for Joint Interagency Task Force 401, Sgt. Maj. Kellen Rowley recently visited Germany to serve as the graduation speaker for the Joint Multidomain Counter-Unmanned Aerial Systems Course, or JMDCC.

The course, a U.S. Air Forces in Europe program executed with the support of the 7th Army Training Command, is at the forefront of developing joint service capabilities to counter the growing threat of unmanned aerial systems. This effort supports JIATF-401’s mission to provide counter-drone capabilities that protect U.S. personnel and facilities both domestically and internationally through a whole-of-government approach.

During his visit, Rowley observed the course’s culminating field training exercise, a rigorous 48-hour event that tested the skills of 22 U.S. Air Force, Army and Marine noncommissioned and commissioned officers. He also received a comprehensive overview of the course’s program of instruction and engaged with the 7th ATC leadership, which included a briefing on the Bumblebee training course, Test and Evaluation Center and the Warrior Unmanned Aerial Battalion.

In his remarks to the graduating class, Rowley emphasized the importance of taking proactive C-UAS measures at all echelons.

“The proliferation of UAS technology on the modern battlefield requires us to be agile and adaptive,” said Rowley. “We must ask ourselves: what are we doing to establish and rehearse our battle drills and SOPs at the small unit level? How are we integrating C-UAS into our collective training? The answers lie in the hands of talented and dedicated individuals like you… A vigilant and prepared force is the first and most effective line of defense.”

Highlighting the need for specialized skills, Rowley added, “We must actively identify talent within our ranks — the service members who possess the knowledge, capability, and desire to excel in this rapidly evolving space. They are the future of our C-UAS enterprise.”

Rowley noted the JMDCC’s platform-agnostic approach and focus on core competencies such as electronic warfare, sensor integration, and command and control. The three-week course is structured to provide a comprehensive learning experience, with one week of classroom theory, one week of practical exercises, and one week of lane training, culminating in the final FTX.

“The JMDCC is an excellent course that has intuitively set the standard for the train-the-trainer model we need across the force,” said SGM Rowley. “To my knowledge, there is no other C-UAS course in the department operating at this level of proficiency and realism.”

U.S. Soldiers, Airmen, Marines and Belgium Soldiers conduct weapons qualifications using the SMASH 2000 system during the Air Force’s Joint Multi-Domain Counter Unmanned Aircraft Systems Operator Course in the Grafenwoehr Training Area, Germany, Feb. 12, 2026. The U.S. Air Forces in Europe – Air Forces Africa assess the feasibility of expanding the Air Force’s Joint Multi-Domain Counter Unmanned Aircraft Systems Operator Course to a multi-service environment with the growing Unmanned Aircraft Systems threat. The 7th Army Training Command remains the premier location for U.S., NATO and partner testing, experimentation, readiness and interoperability. U.S. Army video by Sgt. Collin Mackall.

Story by COL Adam Scher