The U.S. Army’s signed agreements with Australia, Poland, and South Korea that will expand the countries’ access to counter-unmanned aerial system (UAS) technologies through the Joint Interagency Task Force 401 (JITAF 401) drone defense marketplace.
JIATF 401 said the agreements enable the three allied nations to procure counter-drone systems through the online marketplace, which the Army launched in March to accelerate the procurement of UAS technology.
The marketplace was developed in collaboration with Amazon Web Services and the Army Enterprise Cloud Management Agency. Army officials described the platform as a digital one-stop shop for Army units, government partners, and allied nations seeking to procure vetted solutions more efficiently.
The platform includes tools that allow users to compare system capabilities, provide direct feedback, and place orders.
“We are continuing to expand the market for counter-UAS,” said Brig. Gen. Matt Ross, director of JIATF 401, in a statement. “We understand that our allies and partners want to purchase American-made counter-drone technologies. The JIATF 401 marketplace helps aggregate that demand, ensuring our defense industrial base is ready to scale production and meet the growing needs of our coalition.”
The agreements build on recent collaborations with Romania and the United Kingdom aimed at improving interoperability and accelerating the delivery of counter-drone capabilities among allied nations.
Army officials said the online marketplace aligns with the Army secretary’s goal of providing partner nations with timely access to critical defense capabilities and underscores JIATF 401’s role in supporting that effort.
Officials also said the agreements and collaborations reflect a broader push toward a more cohesive and accessible counter-small UAS network among coalition partners.
Expanding access to the marketplace will allow allies to acquire advanced counter-drone technologies while also helping shape the future development of the counter-small UAS industrial base, officials said.
“This partnership gives our allies and partners direct access to proven counter-drone technologies as we continue to expand the marketplace,” Maj. Matt Mellor, lead acquisitions specialist for JIATF 401, said in a statement.