Joint Interagency Task Force 401 has selected five military installations to host a directed-energy counter-UAS pilot program authorized under the Fiscal Year 2026 National Defense Authorization Act.

The sites — Fort Huachuca, Ariz.; Fort Bliss, Texas; Naval Base Kitsap, Wash.; Grand Forks Air Force Base, N.D.; and Whiteman Air Force Base, Mo. — were chosen to support evaluation across diverse environments and mission sets, including the southern border mission.

The program will field high-energy laser and high-powered microwave systems as part of a layered C-UAS architecture. “Countering unlawful and adversarial drone activity is a homeland defense imperative,” said Army Brig. Gen. Matt Ross, JIATF-401 director. “There is no ‘silver bullet’ to address this challenge, and this pilot program integrates cutting-edge technology into the department’s broader counter-drone toolkit.”

The pilot builds on a joint demonstration at White Sands Missile Range, N.M., where directed-energy systems were validated as posing no undue risk to passenger aircraft, and a subsequent safety risk assessment establishing procedures for domestic airspace employment. Both milestones were conducted in coordination with U.S. Northern Command and the FAA. Deployment plans will be finalized with installation commanders over the next 180 days, with operations expected to begin later this year.