Australia, Poland, South Korea join US drone defence marketplace

New agreements signed by Australia, Poland, and South Korea will enable them to “rapidly” procure counter-UAS (C-UAS) capabilities from the US, as the country seeks to consolidate allied demand for these technologies.   

According to an announcement from the US Army, the countries will be able to purchase the C-UAS capabilities via the US Department of War’s Joint Interagency Task Force 401 (JIATF-401) marketplace.  

Through the marketplace, Australia, Poland, and South Korea will gain “direct access” to “scalable, effective, and interoperable technologies”.  

The news comes as nations across the globe seek to bolster their C-UAS capabilities, with an estimated 70-80% of battlefield casualties in the Ukrainian conflict coming from UASs, as reported by the US military’s Army University Press.  

The army also emphasises that the agreements enable US allies to purchase “American-made” technologies and contribute to the country’s C-UAS manufacturing ecosystem. 

“The JIATF-401 marketplace helps aggregate that demand, ensuring our defence industrial base is ready to scale production and meet the growing needs of our coalition,” Brigadier General Matt Ross, Director of JIATF-401, said. 

Established in August 2025, JIATF-401 aligns authorities and industry to deliver capabilities against increasingly sophisticated UAS threats. Its marketplace, introduced in December 2025, is projected to expand its network to 25 partner nations by the end of summer 2026. 

The US Army notes that the new agreements follow other recent collaborations intended to create a “more cohesive and accessible” C-UAS network. These saw Romania gain access to the JIATF-401 marketplace and the establishment of common data standards for C-UASs with the UK.