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Task Force 401 selects five bases for FY26-directed-energy counter-UAS laser pilot, after Texas airspace closures

US Joint Interagency Task Force 401 has picked five installations to run a directed-energy counter-unmanned aircraft systems (C-UAS) pilot program funded in the FY2026 NDAA. The test effort follows February deployments of a counter-drone system that triggered unexpected airspace closures in Texas, with the Pentagon planning laser trials at the selected sites.

Discovered 2026-05-07T07:47:14.273256-07:00 | 2026-05-07T07:47:14.273256-07:00

Briefing

What Hype is tracking

  • The FY26 NDAA-funded pilot expands directed-energy C-UAS from isolated trials to multiple test locations, turning earlier field experience— including the February Texas airspace closures—into a structured evaluation program.
  • Aviation stakeholders should connect this step to ongoing airspace safety validation work, including the FAA/Pentagon clearance tied to New Mexico high-energy laser testing (source:cd41dec4-4fd8-4b7b-94dd-3580678c8aa1).
  • For defense and aerospace suppliers, the site selection signals where testing requirements and operational constraints will likely be exercised first, shaping future system certifications, integration approaches, and procurement pathways.

Reported By

DVIDS / U.S. DoD Flying Magazine Unmanned Airspace dronelife.com
Sources Tracked
4
First Seen
2026-05-07T07:47:14.273256-07:00
Latest Update
2026-05-08T15:33:18.432975-07:00
Coverage
Defense

Sources

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