Joint Interagency Task Force 401 announced the adoption of new guidelines for testing counter-small unmanned aircraft systems technologies.
The task force released the guidelines on March 10, requiring all counter-small unmanned aircraft systems (C-sUAS) evaluations to capture core data for use across the Department of War. Hostile small unmanned aircraft systems threaten U.S. forces through intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, and kinetic attacks. Commercial markets produce faster, smaller platforms that are becoming harder to detect, classify, and defeat.
To counter the evolving threat, C-sUAS capabilities require adaptability and joint operations. The guidelines provide common criteria and evaluation standards, preventing data from remaining in silos of unknown provenance and inconsistent quality. Joint Interagency Task Force 401 can now aggregate and synthesize information systematically to advance development.
Officials said the framework creates unified testing and analysis to compare systems. Key features include standardized evaluations for consistent results across services and partners; accelerated delivery of solutions to operators; data-driven procurement decisions; guidance for industry innovation; efficient resource use by cutting redundant tests; greater operator trust in tools; and synchronized joint and interagency efforts.
“The JIATF’s one measure of effectiveness is to quickly deliver state of the art C-sUAS capabilities into the hands of warfighters,” said Brigadier General Matt Ross, director of Joint Interagency Task Force 401. “Achieving this outcome requires more than innovation; it demands a disciplined approach to testing, evaluation, and continuous improvement that translates promising technologies into operationally relevant solutions at scale.”
Joint Interagency Task Force 401 adopted the guidelines developed by the Department of War and the Committee on Homeland and National Security of the National Science and Technology Council. The standards offer a common lexicon and schemas for data aggregation, comparison, and synthesis. They support future C-sUAS development and advanced mission engineering tools. The guidelines appear here.
