Counter-UAS: Drone Threats, Layered Defense, and the Industry Opportunity
ASC presents Counter-UAS: Drone Threats, Layered Defense, and the Industry Opportunity.
Cheap, capable drones have changed the battlefield in Ukraine and the Middle East, and they now pose a real threat to U.S. bases, critical infrastructure, and the homeland. The Department of War has stood up a joint task force to counter them, and funding and new authorities are flowing into counter-drone defense. Join the Abelian Security Council for a candid conversation with the Chief Strategist of Joint Interagency Task Force 401 on how the drone threat is evolving, what a layered defense actually takes, and where the openings are for industry and investors.
On the table
The evolving drone threat: how state and non-state actors are using small drones, and what that means for U.S. forces and the homeland
Layered defense: why there is no silver bullet, and how sensors, effectors, and command-and-control networks have to work together
How the government is organizing: JIATF 401's mission, the new homeland counter-drone authorities, and how capability is being bought and fielded at speed
The enablers: the electromagnetic spectrum, networked sensors and effectors, and where AI and autonomy fit in
The industry opportunity: where capability gaps remain, and where commercial and venture-backed companies can fit
Speaker
Paul Lushenko is a U.S. Army Lieutenant Colonel and Chief Strategist of Joint Interagency Task Force 401 (JIATF 401), the Department of War task force that synchronizes the military's counter-drone efforts and supports federal partners in defending the homeland. He served as Chief Strategist of the Joint Counter-small Unmanned Aircraft Systems Office before its transition to JIATF 401, and led the writing team behind Small Drones, Big Problems: A First Principles Approach to Countering UAS (2026). He is an Adjunct Professor at the U.S. Army War College, where he previously served as Director of Special Operations and Assistant Professor. Across a career of more than two decades as an Army intelligence officer, including service in special operations and ten combat deployments, he directed intelligence operations at the battalion, combined task force, and joint task force levels, and served as Senior Intelligence Officer for a Joint Special Operations Task Force in Afghanistan. He is co-editor of Drones and Global Order: Implications of Remote Warfare for International Society (2022) and co-author of The Legitimacy of Drone Warfare: Evaluating Public Perceptions (2024), and has published in Security Studies, Foreign Affairs, and The Washington Post. He holds a Ph.D. and M.A. in International Relations from Cornell University, where he was a General Andrew Jackson Goodpaster Scholar, an M.A. from the U.S. Naval War College, an M.A. and a Master of Diplomacy from The Australian National University, and a B.S. from the U.S. Military Academy.
Moderator: Owen Davies, CEO of the ASC
Submit questions for Paul when you register and no later than Thursday, November 19. We'll do our best to make sure submitted questions are answered, but we can't guarantee every question will be covered.
Good to know
Admission is subject to pre-qualification criteria.
Tickets are non-refundable and non-transferable.
Attendees remain anonymous, and the session is held under the Chatham House rule.
A recording and transcript will not be available after the event.
Paul speaks in his personal capacity as a private citizen and does not represent the U.S. Army, the Department of War, or any administration. Speakers participate in their capacity as private citizens. None of the views expressed are endorsed by political organizations, government, military, or current and prior employers. Events are for informational purposes only. Nothing discussed is investment advice, an offer, or a solicitation.