In an article published on Jan 2, leading figures at the United States Joint Counter-small Unmanned Aircraft Systems Office (JCO) outlined its role and provided further insight into recent updates to the Department of Defense’s (DoD’s) Counter small-Unmanned Aircraft System (C-sUAS) strategy.
Co-authored by Major General David Stewart (JCO Director) & Lieutenant Colonel Paul Lushenko (JCO Chief Strategist), the article provides insight into the reasons for the JCO being established back in 2020, the key four imperatives behind mission and the rationale behind the classified update to the DoD C-sUAS Strategy announced in December 2024.
The new strategy will now underpin the joint force’s approach to C-sUAS from development through to acquisition and operationalization, as the original guidance has since its release in 2021.
Contextualizing the JCO’s role within DoD, Major General Stewart and Lieutenant Colonel Lushenko break down the four key pillars of the JCO mission as:
- Ensuring situational awareness of sUAS threats across the joint force and for international allies and partners
- Serving as the “connective tissue” for everyone operating in the C-sUAS arena
- Using existing acquisition authority to advance C-sUAS capabilities at pace
- Supporting warfighters and home and abroad
The updates reflect these core objectives by placing further emphasis on “prior-to-launch” mitigation efforts. Leveraging the global capabilities of U.S. Special Operations Command, these initiatives are designed to identify potential threats early enough to broaden mitigation options prior to the drones being airborne.
It also signals the transition towards a broader “Counter-Uncrewed Systems Strategy”, recognizing the threat posed by airborne, surface and subsurface uncrewed systems across domains. One example of this has been the usage of unmanned surface vessels by the Houthis in Yemen, along with the proliferation of unmanned underwater and ground vehicles globally.
These updates are based on “shifts in the operating environment” and will now underpin the joint force’s approach, reflecting a shifting threat landscape and demonstrating DoD’s ongoing commitment to the field.
Post Image Credit: Mark Schauer
