Pentagon launches online marketplace for counter‑drone systems

The U.S. Department of Defense’s counter‑unmanned aircraft systems (C‑UAS) task force, in partnership with Kaizen Laboratories, has opened a new online Counter‑UAS Marketplace. The platform, live for about two weeks, lets military, federal, law‑enforcement and allied users search, compare and request validated counter‑drone equipment ranging from kinetic weapons to jammers.

Kaizen received a $15 million contract in May to build and operate the site for Joint Interagency Task Force‑401. The marketplace is intended to bypass traditional, slow acquisition processes and supports the Army’s Foreign Military Sales Fast‑Lane initiative. An AI‑driven Capability Planner is planned to let users describe operational scenarios in plain language and receive equipment recommendations.

The effort responds to the rapid growth of low‑cost commercial drones, highlighted by recent conflicts such as the U.S. war with Iran, where Iranian Shahed drones caused casualties and equipment loss. The marketplace is modeled after Ukraine’s Brave1 Market and aims to speed delivery of counter‑UAS solutions to the edge.