Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth directed the Army Thursday to create a new task force designed to protect American skies and troops abroad against unmanned aerial threats, amid growing concerns over vulnerability to potential drone attacks.

Hegseth directed Army Secretary Dan Driscoll to create Joint Interagency Task Force 401 (JIATF-401), with the mission to “lead and synchronize DoD efforts to counter the small unmanned systems threat while minimizing unnecessary duplication and redundancy,” according to a memo released Thursday. The task force replaces a previous Army task force in order to include other branches that have made considerable investments in counter-drone technology.

“We’re delivering real solutions, ensuring that American airspace remains secure, both for here at home for the American people but also abroad anywhere troops are stationed,” the Secretary said in an X post Thursday. “They deserve to be defended by the best.”

Drone warfare has increasingly defined the modern battlefield, showing its brutal effectiveness most poignantly during the Russia-Ukraine war. The Armed Forces have all made pushes to met the drone threat head-on, with the Army recently testing multiple counter-drone systems in Poland as part of “Project Flytrap.”

Small drones have fundamentally changed warfare, being a key reason for the relatively stagnant front lines in Ukraine, as drones bring armor and infantry advances to a standstill.

The task force will report to Deputy Secretary of Defense Stephen Feinberg, according to the memo. The JIATF-401 director may approve up to $50 million in funding per counter-drone project.

“This change is fully aligned with the President’s direction to reestablish air sovereignty over the United States,” the memo reads. “DoD must enhance its [Counter-small Unmanned Aerial System] capabilities to protect personnel, equipment, and facilities at home and abroad.”

The Pentagon did not immediately respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.

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