“Our job here at the Pentagon — when you think about it — is to prepare for the threats of the future and build a force to match them, and defeat them, and outpace them,” Hegseth said via a video message released to the public. “And there’s no doubt that the threats we face today from hostile drones grow by the day,” he added.
Hostile drones are growing by the day.
That’s why I’ve directed @SecArmy to establish the Joint Interagency Task Force 401 to secure our skies. pic.twitter.com/0ZbLYpDLaG
— Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth (@SecDef) August 28, 2025
Hegseth noted that hostile UASs are being operated overseas and at U.S. borders, posing risks to warfighters, bases and national airspace sovereignty. “It’s called counter-UAS — counter-unmanned aerial systems — and America will be the best at it,” he said.
The secretary did not provide a timeline for when the task force will be operational, but confirmed the Pentagon is moving quickly to cut through bureaucracy and consolidate resources. He said the effort would empower the task force with “the utmost authority to outpace our adversaries.”
He emphasised that the Department of Defense is working to deliver effective solutions to ensure American airspace remains secure at home, abroad and wherever U.S. troops are stationed. “They deserve to be defended by the best,” Hegseth said.
The secretary underlined that the task force will equip warfighters with the necessary tools to defend American sovereignty and “send a clear message” that the United States will “never be outmatched.” He concluded: “Because, make no mistake, under this administration — and President [Donald J.] Trump’s leadership — we’re going to out-innovate, we’re going to lead and we will win.”
