Source: war.gov — June 3, 2026
Via: Adam Scher on LinkedIn
Author: SSgt. Michael Richmond, 90th Missile Wing PAO
Date of Exercise: May 14–15, 2026 | Published: June 3, 2026
What Happened
Airmen from the 90th Missile Wing (F.E. Warren AFB, Wyoming) joined personnel from Air Force Global Strike Command (AFGSC), Air Combat Command (ACC), U.S. Strategic Command (USSTRATCOM), and the Air National Guard for a counter-small UAS (C-sUAS) firing qualification at Camp Guernsey Joint Training Center, Wyoming — conducted in partnership with Joint Interagency Task Force 401 (JIATF-401).
The two-day qualification tested and enhanced operators’ ability to engage ground and aerial targets at varying distances using technologically advanced small-arms target acquisition systems.
JIATF-401 Background
Established in August 2025, JIATF-401 was stood up by the War Department as the lead organization for synchronizing efforts to rapidly deliver C-sUAS capabilities at scale across four mission areas:
| Mission Area | Description |
|---|---|
| Homeland Defense | Defend the U.S. homeland from drone threats |
| Force Protection | Protect U.S. and allied forces overseas |
| Critical Infrastructure | Defend nuclear and strategic assets |
| Federal Agency Support | Assist civilian agencies with C-UAS |
The task force has a single measure of effectiveness: rapidly delivering state-of-the-art C-sUAS capabilities to warfighters at home and abroad.
“Protecting our power projection platforms is a critical component of enhancing warfighter lethality.” — Army Brig. Gen. Matt Ross, JIATF-401 Director
Nuclear Mission Nexus
This qualification is notable for its nuclear deterrence context. The 90th Missile Wing operates Minuteman III ICBMs across a 9,600-square-mile missile field in Wyoming, Colorado, and Nebraska — making it one of the most critical C-sUAS protection priorities in the U.S. military.
The exercise fits into AFGSC’s broader modernization push, which includes:
- Humvee → Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV) transition
- UH-1N Huey → MH-139A Grey Wolf helicopter replacement
- C-sUAS training as a third layer of that modernization
“The system is a game changer. When you hear one of our young defenders say they feel more confident and prepared, that’s the metric that matters most to me as a commander.” — Col. Jeremy Sheppard, 90th Security Forces Group Commander
Operator Perspective
“This training makes me more effective by giving me hands-on experience with systems designed to counter hostile drones. It shows the wing is taking [C-sUAS] seriously and actively building another layer of defense to protect our mission, assets and personnel.” — SrA Preston Reiger, Small UAS Specialist, 90th Missile Security Operations Squadron
Why This Matters
1. JIATF-401 is operationalizing fast. Less than 10 months after standing up, the task force is running multi-command, multi-service firing qualifications at scale. This is not a study group — it is a fielding and training organization.
2. Nuclear infrastructure is now a C-UAS priority. The ICBM mission — long considered a low-drone-threat environment — is now explicitly being hardened against small UAS. This reflects a doctrinal shift in how the DoD views the drone threat to strategic assets.
3. The “individual defender” is the unit of measure. Both the JIATF-401 director and the 90th SFG commander framed effectiveness in terms of individual operator readiness, not platform counts. This signals demand for man-portable, easy-to-train C-sUAS systems at the unit level.
4. Multi-command qualification = interoperability signal. AFGSC + ACC + STRATCOM + ANG training together under JIATF-401 authority is a structural signal that C-sUAS is being standardized across commands, not siloed.
Defense Startup Relevance
Companies building man-portable C-sUAS, small-arms target acquisition systems, drone detection for fixed/semi-fixed sites, or training simulation for C-UAS operators should be tracking JIATF-401 as a primary customer. The task force’s mandate to deliver capabilities “at scale” and its multi-command reach make it a significant procurement vector.
Related companies to watch: Dedrone, Fortem Technologies, D-Fend Solutions, Epirus, Anduril (Pulsar), Skydio (Blue UAS), IXI Technology.