Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced today that he has directed Army Secretary Daniel P. Driscoll to formally establish a joint, interagency task force to counter hostile unmanned aerial systems, commonly referred to as drones.
"Our job here at the Pentagon — when you think about it — is to prepare for the threats of the future and build a force to match them, and defeat them, and outpace them," Hegseth said via a video message released to the public.
"And there's no doubt that the threats we face today from hostile drones grow by the day," he added.
Noting that hostile UASs are being operated overseas and at our borders while seeking to harm U.S. warfighters, bases and even the sovereignty of the national airspace, Hegseth said the new task force — Joint Interagency Task Force 401 — will be a unified team that will seek to bring together the best talent from multiple government agencies to counter UAS threats and restore control of the skies.
"It's called counter-UAS — counter-unmanned aerial systems — and America will be the best at it," Hegseth said.
Although the secretary did not comment on the estimated length of time before the task force will be operational, he did say the Pentagon is currently moving quickly to cut through bureaucracy and consolidate resources, so as to empower it with "the utmost authority to outpace our adversaries."
He added that DOD is working to deliver real solutions and ensure American airspace remains secure at home, abroad and anywhere troops are stationed.
"They deserve to be defended by the best," Hegseth said.
He added that the new task force will put the right tools in the hands of warfighters so they can defend the sovereignty of American airspace and "send a clear message" that the United States will "never be outmatched."
"Because, make no mistake, under this administration — and President [Donald J.] Trump's leadership — we're going to out-innovate, we're going to lead and we will win," Hegseth concluded.