Secretary of Defense: Establishment of Joint Interagency Task Force 401
Establishment of Joint Interagency Task Force 401
“SUBJECT: Establishment of Joint Interagency Task Force 401
References:
(a) DoD Directive 3800.01E, “DoD Executive Agent for Counter Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems for Unmanned Aircraft Groups 1, 2, and 3,” February 21 , 2020
(b) Executive Order 14305, “Restoring American Airspace Sovereignty,” June 6, 2025
(c) Title 10, United States Code, section 130i, “Protection of certain facilities and assets from unmanned aircraft”
(d) DoD Strategy for Countering Unmanned Systems, December 1, 2024
(e) Secretary of Defense Memorandum, January 17, 2025, “Implementation Plan for the Department of Defense Strategy for Countering Unmanned Systems”
Purpose. To direct the Secretary of the Army (SecArmy) to disestablish the Joint Counter-small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (C-sUAS) Office (JCO) and to establish a Joint Interagency Task Force 401 (JIATF 401) that reports to the Deputy Secretary of Defense, to better align authorities and resources to rapidly deliver Joint C-sUAS capabilities to America’s warfighters, defeat adversary threats, and promote sovereignty over national airspace. The JCO disestablishment will take effect upon the establishment of JIATF 401. The JIATF 401 will have a sunset review at 36 months.”
The Department of Defense has directed the disestablishment of the Joint Counter-small Unmanned Aircraft Systems Office (JCO) and the immediate creation of Joint Interagency Task Force 401 (JIATF 401). This task force will report directly to the Deputy Secretary of Defense and serve as the Department’s central authority for countering small unmanned aircraft systems (C-sUAS) across Groups 1 through 3. JIATF 401 is charged with integrating capability development, acquisition, intelligence, electronic warfare, and operational support in a unified, joint framework. The intent is to eliminate redundant efforts across the Department and deliver scalable and mobile C-sUAS capabilities faster than the evolving threat.
The JIATF 401 Director will possess acquisition and procurement authority, manage forensics and exploitation missions, and consolidate resources including those from Replicator 2 in partnership with the Defense Innovation Unit. The task force will receive direct staffing support from all Military Services and will be exempt from standard hiring processes to enable rapid onboarding of specialized talent. Each military department is required to designate senior personnel to support the task force within 30 days. While JIATF 401 will not replace existing Military Service or USSOCOM programs of record, it will oversee all joint C-sUAS research, development, testing, and evaluation, and may fund new efforts up to 50 million dollars per initiative.
The task force is also backed by directives for the reallocation of funding profiles, legislative proposals for flexible multi-year budgeting, and the creation of a dedicated test and training range. It will incorporate a Joint C-sUAS University under its purview and receive support from multiple senior offices across DoD, including intelligence, acquisition, and personnel. Within 60 days, a revised DoD Directive 3800.01E will be issued to codify this transformation. The Army will facilitate facilities, staffing, and monthly updates, while a C-sUAS portfolio will be created under the DoD Special Access Program Central Office. JIATF 401 will be reviewed for continuation after 36 months.
