The Department of Defense’s (DOD) Joint Interagency Task Force 401 (JIATF-401) expanded its counter-unmanned aerial system (UAS) marketplace with new capabilities designed to help military organizations, domestic law enforcement agencies, and international allies and partners evaluate and acquire validated counter-drone technologies more quickly.
The enhancements are being delivered under a $15 million prototype Other Transaction Agreement awarded on May 8 to Kaizen Laboratories, an AI-native software company. According to the company’s press release, Kaizen engineered, accredited, and delivered the secure marketplace platform on an accelerated timeline.
According to DOD officials, the updated marketplace is designed to give authorized users faster access to validated counter-UAS technologies and streamline the acquisition process.
JIATF-401 said the marketplace supports its broader effort to strengthen collaboration among government agencies, industry, and allied nations by providing a common platform for validated counter-UAS capabilities and helping users make more informed acquisition decisions.
Brig. Gen. Matt Ross, director of JIATF 401, said the expanded marketplace will help organizations respond more quickly to the growing threat posed by small drones.
“Drones are a defining threat of our time,” Ross said. “The proliferation of small systems and small drones and the threat that they pose both to critical infrastructure and to defense critical assets requires us to move faster in this space. In order to address this threat, we are expanding the counter-UAS marketplace to allow us to share best practices and equipment globally.”
New AI-enabled capabilities offered in the marketplace include the “Capability Planner,” which allows users to describe operational requirements in plain language and receive recommendations for layered counter-UAS solutions assembled from validated marketplace listings. According to Kaizen, the Capability Planner will soon become operational.
DOD also said the platform supports the department’s Foreign Military Sales Fast Lane initiative by helping partners generate requirements more quickly and shortening procurement timelines. Vendors can publish product specifications and compliance information, while JIATF-401 independently validates marketplace listings before they become available to users.
“The marketplace is a critical step forward in our whole-of-government approach to countering the threat of unmanned systems,” Ross said in a separate Kaizen’s press release. “This platform is not only revolutionizing the entire procurement process, but also empowering users with the information and tools needed to safeguard our service members and citizens, while providing timely, cost-effective solutions to our warfighters.”