Five US Military Bases Selected for Anti-Drone Pilot Program

The U.S. task force responsible for countering small unmanned aircraft has selected five military installations to participate in an anti-drone pilot program. The U.S. Army-led Joint Interagency Task Force 401, which was established in August 2025 and included in the fiscal 2026 National Defense Authorization Act, picked the sites to test advanced directed energy capabilities.

Two of the installations are along the southern border, according to a May 6 Department of Defense release. “Countering unlawful and adversarial drone activity is a homeland defense imperative,” the task force director said in the release. ” The five chosen installations are Fort Huachuca in Arizona and Fort Bliss in Texas, both near the U.S.-Mexico border, as well as Naval Base Kitsap in Washington, Grand Forks Air Force Base in North Dakota, and Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri.

Officials selected the locations to support testing and operational assessments across a variety of mission goals and environments.

The release did not specify which systems each base will test. It highlighted high-energy lasers and high-powered microwave systems that can counteract adversarial or unlawful drone activity while reducing risk to nearby personnel and infrastructure.

The announcement follows anti-drone laser tests conducted by the Pentagon and the Federal Aviation Administration in New Mexico in March. Those tests addressed safety concerns that arose after the Pentagon permitted U.S. Customs and Border Protection to use anti-drone lasers in February, which led the Federal Aviation Administration to close El Paso, Texas, airspace twice in one month.

In April the Defense Department and the Federal Aviation Administration issued a joint statement indicating that a safety assessment showed the technology does not pose a risk to passenger aircraft. The agencies said they would work together to implement a safety agreement.

“Our collaboration with the FAA and the successful demonstration at White Sands were pivotal steps forward in our counter-UAS efforts,” the task force deputy director said in the release. “We showed that directed-energy systems can counter drone threats while preserving the safety of air travelers.

Operations at the five sites are scheduled to begin this year.