JIATF 401’s counter-UAS marketplace is now live, and the Pentagon’s ‘Amazon for drone defense’ is open for orders

The online counter-drone shopping portal that DroneXL first covered back in November just hit a major milestone. Joint Interagency Task Force 401 announced on Monday that its counter-unmanned aircraft systems marketplace has reached initial operational capability, meaning military bases and interagency partners that Ross has previously identified as the FBI, DHS, and local law enforcement can now browse, compare, and order validated counter-drone equipment through a single online platform.

Here is what you need to know:

• The development: JIATF 401’s counter-UAS marketplace, hosted on the Common Hardware Systems (CHS) electronic catalog, is now operational and accepting orders from authorized government users.
• Why it matters: The platform bypasses the Pentagon’s notoriously slow procurement cycle by using an existing indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contract, letting installation commanders order counter-drone gear without starting a new contracting process from scratch.
• The source: The Department of War announced the marketplace’s IOC on February 24, 2026.

The counter-UAS marketplace fills a procurement gap that has haunted base commanders for years

The JIATF 401 counter-UAS marketplace is an online procurement portal hosted on the Common Hardware Systems electronic catalog that allows authorized Department of War personnel and interagency partners to browse, compare, and purchase validated counter-drone sensors, effectors, and mission command systems using pre-negotiated contract vehicles. Access requires a Common Access Card (CAC) or other government-issued smart card.

The CHS catalog already lists more than 1,600 items. The task force is actively expanding the inventory to include all validated counter-UAS equipment that is not already designated as a program of record.

“The JIATF 401 [counter]-UAS marketplace is a critical step forward in our whole-of-government approach to countering the threat of small drones,” said Army Brig. Gen. Matthew Ross, JIATF 401 director. “Our goal is to integrate sensors, effectors and mission command systems into a responsive, interoperable network that protects service members and American citizens alike.”

The platform’s key advantage is speed. Traditional defense procurement can take months or years. The marketplace sits on top of an existing IDIQ contract, which means customers can place orders immediately. The task force also plans to add performance data from its own test and evaluation repository, so users can compare systems based on real-world results against actual drone threats rather than just reading vendor spec sheets.

“This is about getting the best technology into the hands of those who need it as quickly as possible,” said Army Maj. Matt Mellor, JIATF 401’s lead acquisitions specialist.

The marketplace went from public concept to IOC in about three months

When DroneXL first covered this concept in November 2025, based on reporting by The War Zone, Brig. Gen. Ross described it as an “Amazon-style portal” where agencies could search, compare, and read feedback on counter-drone tools. At the time, the marketplace was still in development. An Air & Space Forces report from January noted the marketplace was targeting an IOC date of March 1. The task force appears to have hit that target almost exactly.

That timeline is fast by Pentagon standards. It reflects the broader urgency that has defined JIATF 401 since its creation in August 2025, replacing the slower Joint Counter-small Unmanned Aircraft Systems Office. Ross has consistently framed the task force’s mission as cutting red tape and getting real equipment into the field, not producing slide decks.

The marketplace announcement comes during a period of rapid counter-UAS activity across the federal government. In January, JIATF 401 made its first Replicator 2 purchase with the Fortem DroneHunter F700. Last week, the task force partnered with Perennial Autonomy to field the Bumblebee V2 kinetic interceptor drone. Earlier this month, the Pentagon also released guidance on low-tech physical defenses like nets, walls, and visual clutter to complement high-tech systems.

The marketplace fits into a much larger counter-drone infrastructure push

JIATF 401’s marketplace is one piece of a massive government-wide effort to build permanent counter-drone capability across the United States. FEMA launched a $500 million counter-UAS grant program in January, with $250 million going to World Cup host states. The FBI opened its National Counter-UAS Training Center at Redstone Arsenal in Alabama. State legislatures are moving to give local police counter-drone authority for the 2026 FIFA World Cup and beyond.

The common thread is speed. Every piece of this system, from the FBI training pipeline to the FEMA equipment grants to the JIATF 401 marketplace, is designed to compress timelines that used to stretch across years into weeks or months. The 2026 World Cup, with matches across multiple U.S. cities from June through July, is the driving deadline for most of these programs.

But as we have reported extensively, the infrastructure being built for the World Cup is not temporary. The equipment stays. The trained personnel stay. The legal authorities stay. This marketplace will be filling orders long after the final whistle blows in July.

DroneXL’s Take

I have been tracking the counter-UAS procurement problem since the DoD released its classified counter-drone strategy in late 2024, and the consistent bottleneck has always been the same: commanders know what they need, vendors have products that work, but the acquisition process sits between them like a concrete wall.

This marketplace is the Pentagon’s attempt to punch a hole through that wall. Whether it actually works depends on two things. First, will the performance data be honest and detailed enough to help buyers make real decisions, or will it read like vendor marketing? Second, will the inventory expand fast enough to keep pace with the threat?

The 1,600-item catalog is a start, but the counter-UAS market is evolving at wartime speed. Systems that worked six months ago may already be obsolete against the latest autonomous threats. If JIATF 401 can keep the catalog current and the test data credible, this platform could become the default procurement channel for counter-drone equipment across the entire federal government by the end of 2026.

For recreational and commercial drone pilots, none of this changes your daily operations. But it is worth understanding the scale of what is being built around you. The counter-drone infrastructure going up across the United States right now is permanent, expanding, and increasingly capable. Fly legal, check NOTAMs, and stay well clear of restricted zones.

Editorial Note: AI tools were used to assist with research and archive retrieval for this article. All reporting, analysis, and editorial perspectives are by Haye Kesteloo.