Defense Secretary Hegseth Issues Corrected Counter-Drone Guidance to Streamline Military Capabilities
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has issued a 'corrected copy' of a memorandum, dated November 5, aimed at reforming the Pentagon's approval processes for acquiring and deploying counter-drone capabilities. This updated directive instructs senior Pentagon and military officials to document any delays or denials in their requests to use counter-drone technologies as a 'risk of inaction' and report these instances to Joint Interagency Task Force 401 (JIATF-401). The five-page memo outlines policies designed to expedite the procurement and fielding of weapons capable of neutralizing unauthorized unmanned aerial systems. Hegseth emphasized that 'Protection against the threat of drones will not be delayed by self-imposed restrictions.' This move builds upon previous directives issued during the second Trump administration and comes amid a surge in unauthorized drone incursions over U.S. military bases and sensitive national security sites, some involving coordinated, high-tech swarms. The corrected version specif...
