The US Joint Interagency Task Force 401 has selected five installations to participate in the directed-energy counter-unmanned aircraft systems pilot programme included in the Fiscal Year 2026 National Defense Authorization Act.
“This initiative will accelerate the fielding and evaluation of advanced directed energy capabilities to protect critical infrastructure, military installations and homeland missions,” according to a US Department of War press release. “The locations were deliberately selected to support rigorous testing and operational assessments across diverse environments and mission sets. They include key southern border installations: Fort Huachuca, Arizona; and Fort Bliss, Texas, as well as Naval Base Kitsap, Washington; Grand Forks Air Force Base, North Dakota; and Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri.
“Countering unlawful and adversarial drone activity is a homeland defense imperative,” said Army Brig. Gen. Matt Ross, Joint Interagency Task Force 401 director. “There is no ‘silver bullet’ to address this challenge, and this pilot program integrates cutting-edge technology into the department’s broader counter-drone toolkit.”
These capabilities, including high-energy lasers and high-powered microwave systems, are among many counter-UAS tools available to commanders as part of a layered defense, said the department. “The technology enables service members to disrupt and defeat unlawful or adversarial drone activity while minimizing risk to surrounding personnel and infrastructure. Developed in close coordination with the services, U.S. Northern Command and the Federal Aviation Administration, the pilot program builds on several recent milestones that have advanced the safe domestic employment of directed-energy systems. These include:
- A joint DOW-FAA demonstration at White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico, validating that the systems do not pose undue risk to passenger aircraft.
- Operational systems employment in support of the southern border mission.
- The recent DOW-FAA safety risk assessment that established procedures for future use while protecting the national airspace.
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(Image: Anthony Kavanaugh, left, a drone operator assigned to the Army Unmanned Aerial Systems Mission Assurance team, operates a small unmanned aerial system while Ari Snipes, a drone operator with the team, prepares a small UAS at Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling, Washington, April 23, 2026.Hayden Hallman, Air Force)