The United States Department of Defense’s Joint Interagency Task Force 401 (JIATF 401) has published a handbook designed to aid 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 synchronise counter-uncrewed aircraft systems (C-UAS) efforts across the defence department and federal interagency partners.
The handbook 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 defence and examines the factors that enable successful C-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.”
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