U.S. Army Brig. Gen. Matt Ross, Joint Interagency Task Force 401 (JIATF 401), speaks at Falcon Peak 25.2, the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) and U.S. Northern Command (USNORTHCOM) experimentation event to advance and test cutting-edge technologies for detecting, tracking, and neutralizing small drones that pose threats to the homeland at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, on September 18, 2025. (DOD Photo by Devon Bistarkey).

WASHINGTON – Senior representatives from the Department of War, the federal law enforcement community, and National Capital Region police departments joined together at Fort McNair last month to discuss the emerging threat posed by Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) and how to shape future national security operations.

Speakers representing the Joint Interagency Task Force-401 (JIATF-401), Pentagon Force Protection Agency, FBI, U.S. Capitol Police, Fairfax County Police Department, and Montgomery County Police Department formed an executive panel. Panelists -explained current operations and shared experiences before responding to audience questions.

In August, the Honorable Pete Hegseth, Secretary of War, established JIATF-401 to rapidly deliver counter-UAS capability within the National Capital Region, across installations throughout the homeland, and abroad. U.S. Army Brig. Gen. Matthew Ross, Director, JIATF-401, told those gathered that defending against drones calls for a layered defense suited to each installation individually.

“Homeland requirements are different from the battlefield,” he said. “Not every site that gets some equipment is going to get the same thing. We want to create a layered, distributed defensive posture.”

Updated and evolving drone capabilities and techniques need to be able to react and block multiple control methods.

“c-UAS strategy here at home does not start and stop at the fence line,” said Ross. “We need a defense-in-depth, working with the interagency to understand indicators and warnings and adjust our profile accordingly.”

Attendees discussed issues including response times for drone incursions, manpower needed to police, and how to monitor incidents across jurisdictions. Some agencies still rely on their own spreadsheets, panel members said, but they, along with broader reporting standards, are taking shape. Ross highlighted the need to more effectively and strategically allocate resources.

“JIATF-401 is an entirely joint, interagency endeavor dedicated to defeating small UAS,” he said. “Hardware alone is not sufficient. We need to train service members and work in concert with interagency partners so that we’re all pulling together toward the same mission.”

The panel further discussed the way ahead, with plans to establish a c-UAS technology marketplace within six months and the potential expansion of federal authorities to include additional critical infrastructure.

“The point was to get different perspectives around the issue,” said Lt. Col. Adam Scher, Communications and Outreach Officer, JIATF-401. “As we have seen on the battlefields of Europe and the Middle East, drones are altering the way that we fight, and it is critical that our capabilities keep up with this rapidly evolving technology.”

Scher said the gathering was a reminder that continuous teamwork is essential to mission success.

“We wanted a variety of views from across agencies on the UAS problem set,” Scher said. “These conversations are essential if we want to learn not only about the technology, but the coordination that is required at all levels.”

Throughout the discussion, panelists emphasized the importance of interagency coordination and continuous innovation in addressing the growing UAS threat.

“The UAS threat is advancing more quickly than any single organization can address on its own,” Scher said. “It’s going to take all of us. The military, federal, and local organizations are working together to keep ahead.”

Scher summarizes the vital importance of the JIATF-401 mission simply: “BG Ross gave us only one performance metric: quickly fielding state-of-the-art c-UAS capability into the hands of our warfighters at home and abroad."

The JIATF-401 has already completed significant field testing and is preparing for additional exercises in the coming weeks. Reporting regularly to the Deputy Secreatry of War, Ross and team are developing and sharing c-UAS tactics, techniques, and procedures that can benefit warfighters beginning with their Initial Entry Training. The end goal is c-UAS strategy and capability incorporated into every mission planning and operation worldwide.