Army Brig. Gen. Matt Ross, director of Joint Interagency Task Force 401, visited the FBI’s National Training Center for Counter-sUAS in Huntsville, Alabama, on Feb. 12 to reinforce cooperation between the Defense Department and federal law enforcement on counter-drone operations.
The visit focused on expanding joint training and accelerating the development of counter-UAS capabilities in coordination with federal interagency partners. Officials said the goal is to strengthen homeland defense against small drone threats through more integrated planning and operational alignment.
A central topic of discussion was security coordination for this summer’s 2026 FIFA World Cup, organized by FIFA. The tournament will include matches in 11 U.S. host cities, prompting heightened security planning across federal, state and local agencies.
Ross and Mike Torphy, the FBI’s acting assistant section chief for UAS and counter-UAS, met with instructors leading a specialized training course for local law enforcement agencies in each of the host cities. The course is designed to improve preparedness against potential drone-related threats during large-scale public events.
“The security of our homeland depends on a seamless, unified defense, and that is only possible through robust interagency collaboration,” Ross said during the visit. He added that while preparations for the World Cup are a priority, the broader objective is to establish enduring, integrated counter-UAS capabilities across the federal government.
Ross emphasized that lessons learned from battlefield environments can inform domestic counter-drone strategies, particularly when combined with the FBI’s law enforcement authorities and investigative expertise. He described the partnership as part of a “whole-of-government” approach to building a layered defense against small drones.
Future efforts are expected to include closer coordination between JIATF 401’s Joint Counter-sUAS University at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, and the FBI’s National Training Center in Huntsville. Officials said the collaboration is intended not only to secure high-profile events but also to serve as a long-term model for a more integrated national response to drone threats.
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Post Image Credit: U.S. Department of War
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