The Pentagon Creates a New Task Force to Counter the Drone Threat

In August 2025, the U.S. Department of Defense announced a major change in how it will deal with the growing danger of small drones. These are the kinds of unmanned aircraft that can be bought commercially or adapted for military use, and they have been used in conflicts such as Ukraine and the Middle East with devastating effects. Until now, responsibility for dealing with these threats was spread across different offices in the Pentagon, sometimes resulting in overlapping projects and slower results. To fix this, the Secretary of Defense ordered the closure of the old Joint Counter-small Unmanned Aircraft Systems Office (known as JCO) and the creation of a new structure called the Joint Interagency Task Force 401 (JIATF 401). The new task force has a clear mission: to act quickly, centralize efforts, and deliver affordable and effective solutions against hostile drones. For the United States, this decision is linked to a broader policy announced by the White House earlier in 2025, which aims to restore full control over American airspace.