Last updated: February 15, 2026 at 02:35 UTC
Flash Brief: Pentagon wants counter-drone sensors to protect US infrastructure — and fast
TL;DR
The Defense Innovation Unit has issued an urgent Commercial Solutions Opening for counter-drone sensors to protect U.S. military installations, with demonstrations scheduled for spring 2026 at Yuma Proving Ground. Selected contractors will have as little as 30 days between notification and demonstration, representing an accelerated Other Transaction Authority procurement timeline. This HIGH severity opportunity targets radar and sensor manufacturers capable of detecting Group 1-3 drones at 2+ kilometer ranges, with parallel opportunities emerging across DHS ($1.5B vehicle) and JIATF-401 ($5.2M kinetic systems), signaling a whole-of-government counter-UAS infrastructure protection surge.
Key Points
- What happened: DIU issued an urgent CSO for counter-drone sensors with spring 2026 demonstrations at Yuma Proving Ground, emphasizing radar-based detection systems for Group 1-3 drones at 2+ kilometer ranges, indicating critical infrastructure protection gaps requiring immediate solutions.
- Who is affected: Prime contractors and subcontractors in NAICS 334511 (radar/navigation equipment), 334290 (communications equipment), 541330 (engineering services), 541712 (R&D in defense), 336414 (guided missile/space vehicle manufacturing), and 541715 (R&D in physical/engineering sciences) with ITAR compliance and CMMC readiness.
- What the timeline is: Notification to demonstration window compressed to 30 days or less; spring 2026 demonstration date at Yuma Proving Ground; parallel DHS $1.5B vehicle RFP active now; JIATF-401 $5.2M Bumblebee V2 agreement already awarded, indicating immediate follow-on opportunities.
- What contractors should do NOW: Submit white papers to DIU CSO portal immediately; validate CMMC Level 2 compliance and ITAR registration; prepare rapid demonstration logistics for Yuma Proving Ground deployment; establish teaming arrangements with integration partners; monitor SAM.gov for DHS counter-UAS vehicle solicitation details.
Who Is Affected
Primary Segments: Defense contractors specializing in counter-UAS, radar systems, electronic warfare, sensors and detection, critical infrastructure protection, and force protection. Companies with existing DoD relationships and proven Group 1-3 drone detection capabilities at extended ranges (2+ km) are priority targets.
NAICS Codes Impacted:
- 334511 (Search, Detection, Navigation, Guidance, Aeronautical, and Nautical System and Instrument Manufacturing) — Primary radar/sensor manufacturers
- 334290 (Other Communications Equipment Manufacturing) — RF detection and communications systems
- 541330 (Engineering Services) — Systems integration and installation support
- 541712 (Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences - except Nanotechnology and Biotechnology) — Defense R&D firms
- 336414 (Guided Missile and Space Vehicle Manufacturing) — Kinetic interceptor manufacturers
- 541715 (Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences) — Advanced sensing technology developers
Agencies Involved: Department of Defense (Defense Innovation Unit as lead), Department of Homeland Security (CBP, ICE components for $1.5B vehicle), Joint Interagency Task Force 401 (kinetic counter-drone systems).
Contract Vehicles: DIU Commercial Solutions Opening (CSO), Other Transaction Authority (OTA) agreements, DHS counter-UAS contract vehicle ($1.5B ceiling), traditional FAR-based contracts for installation and integration services.
Compliance Surfaces: ITAR registration mandatory for defense articles; CMMC Level 2 required for CUI handling; NIST 800-171 implementation; DFARS 252.204-7012 cybersecurity requirements; Export Administration Regulations (EAR) for dual-use technologies.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What makes this solicitation "urgent" compared to standard DIU CSOs?
The 30-day notification-to-demonstration window is significantly compressed compared to typical 90-180 day timelines. The Pentagon's explicit language about "urgency of the threat" and accelerated spring 2026 demonstration schedule indicates operational gaps requiring immediate filling. This urgency likely stems from increased drone incursions at military installations and critical infrastructure, mirroring threats observed in Ukraine and Middle East theaters. Contractors should interpret this as a fast-track OTA pathway with potential for rapid prototype-to-production transitions, bypassing traditional acquisition timelines.
Q: How does the DIU opportunity relate to the DHS $1.5B counter-UAS vehicle?
These represent parallel procurement streams addressing different operational environments. DIU focuses on military installation protection (Title 10 authorities), while DHS targets border security, immigration enforcement, and domestic critical infrastructure (Title 6 authorities). Smart contractors will position solutions for both markets, as technical requirements overlap significantly (Group 1-3 detection, 2+ km range, low false-alarm rates). The DHS vehicle provides longer-term IDIQ revenue stability, while DIU offers faster prototype awards and DoD credentialing. Winning DIU demonstrations creates competitive advantage for DHS vehicle task order competitions.
Q: What technical capabilities differentiate winning proposals in counter-UAS sensing?
Based on solicitation language and operational requirements, winning systems must demonstrate: (1) All-weather, 24/7 detection capability against Group 1-3 drones at 2+ kilometer ranges; (2) Low false-alarm rates in cluttered RF environments near airports and urban areas; (3) Automatic classification distinguishing threats from birds, aircraft, and authorized drones; (4) Integration with existing C2 systems and kinetic/non-kinetic effectors; (5) Rapid deployment capability (transportable, minimal infrastructure); (6) AI/ML-enabled tracking of swarm behaviors. Radar-based solutions are emphasized, but multi-sensor fusion (radar + RF + EO/IR) approaches show highest performance in operational testing.
Definitions
- Defense Innovation Unit (DIU): DoD organization that accelerates commercial technology adoption through non-traditional contracting mechanisms, primarily Other Transaction Authority agreements, focusing on dual-use technologies from commercial sector.
- Commercial Solutions Opening (CSO): DIU's streamlined solicitation process allowing rolling submissions of white papers for commercial technologies, with rapid evaluation and prototype awards, bypassing traditional FAR-based procurement timelines.
- Other Transaction Authority (OTA): Contracting mechanism authorized under 10 U.S.C. 2371b allowing DoD to procure prototypes and production without FAR requirements, enabling faster awards to non-traditional defense contractors with flexible IP arrangements.
- Group 1-3 Drones: DoD classification system where Group 1 = <20 lbs (hobbyist drones), Group 2 = 21-55 lbs (commercial/ISR drones), Group 3 = <1,320 lbs (tactical military UAS like RQ-7 Shadow), representing the primary threat spectrum to installations.
- CMMC (Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification): DoD cybersecurity framework requiring third-party assessment of contractor networks handling Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI), with Level 2 (110 controls) becoming mandatory for most defense contracts by 2025-2026.
- ITAR (International Traffic in Arms Regulations): State Department export control regime governing defense articles and services, requiring registration and compliance for counter-UAS technologies classified as defense articles on the U.S. Munitions List.
- Yuma Proving Ground: U.S. Army test facility in Arizona specializing in aviation, air defense, and emerging technology testing, selected for counter-UAS demonstrations due to unrestricted airspace and existing test infrastructure.
- Joint Interagency Task Force 401 (JIATF-401): Counter-threat network organization coordinating DoD, DHS, FBI, and intelligence community efforts against emerging threats including illicit drones, with rapid acquisition authority for urgent operational needs.
Intelligence Response
How Top-Performing Contractors Operationalize Real-Time Monitoring
Elite defense contractors treat urgent solicitations like DIU CSOs as intelligence operations, not administrative tasks. Within 4 hours of this flash brief, winning teams have already convened cross-functional response cells (capture manager, technical lead, contracts director, security officer) to assess go/no-go criteria against three filters: technical feasibility for 30-day demonstration readiness, compliance posture (ITAR/CMMC/NIST 800-171), and strategic alignment with counter-UAS portfolio expansion. They maintain pre-positioned "rapid response" teaming agreements with complementary technology providers, enabling same-day partnership activation rather than week-long negotiations.
The most sophisticated contractors run parallel intelligence collection on the customer (DIU program managers, end-user installation commanders, operational requirements owners) and competitive landscape (monitoring which companies are hiring Yuma Proving Ground logistics support, tracking LinkedIn activity of counter-UAS engineers, analyzing recent SBIR Phase III awards in adjacent technology areas). They configure SAM.gov alerts not just for keywords like "counter-UAS" but for semantic variations ("counter-drone," "C-UAS," "UAS detection," "force protection sensors") across multiple agency feeds (DIU, Army Contracting Command, DHS, TSA). This multi-source monitoring catches 40-60% more relevant opportunities than single-keyword approaches.
Systems to Configure:
- SAM.gov Alert System: Configure alerts for NAICS 334511, 334290, 541712 with keywords "counter-UAS," "counter-drone," "C-sUAS," "UAS detection," "force protection," filtered to DIU, ACC-APG, DHS S&T, CBP, TSA; set to immediate email notification
- DIU CSO Portal Monitoring: Check DIU.mil/work-with-us daily; subscribe to DIU newsletter; monitor "Open CSOs" section for counter-UAS topic area updates or deadline extensions
- GovTribe/Bloomberg Government: Set custom alerts for DIU OTA awards in counter-UAS space; track competitor win patterns; monitor subcontract opportunities from recent prime awardees
- USASpending.gov Advanced Search: Weekly queries for counter-UAS obligations by agency; identify which installations are receiving counter-drone funding; track JIATF-401 and DHS S&T spending patterns
- LinkedIn Sales Navigator: Track DIU program managers, Yuma Proving Ground test directors, installation force protection officers; monitor hiring patterns at competitor firms in counter-UAS space
- Federal Compass/GovWin IQ: Configure opportunity pipeline tracking for counter-UAS across all agencies; set threshold alerts for opportunities >$1M; track recompete dates for incumbent contracts
Notification Chain:
- VP of Capture/Business Development (immediate) — Go/no-go decision authority; resource allocation for white paper development; teaming partner activation; must assess strategic fit within 4 hours
- Chief Technology Officer/Engineering Director (immediate) — Technical feasibility assessment for 30-day demonstration readiness; Yuma Proving Ground logistics requirements; system performance validation against 2+ km detection requirements
- Director of Contracts/Legal (within 2 hours) — ITAR compliance verification; CMMC Level 2 status confirmation; OTA agreement review; teaming agreement templates; IP protection strategy
- Security Officer/FSO (within 2 hours) — Facility clearance status; personnel security clearance availability for Yuma deployment; ITAR registration currency; CUI handling procedures validation
- CFO/Finance Director (within 4 hours) — Demonstration cost estimation; cash flow impact of 30-day mobilization; pricing strategy for prototype and production phases; cost accounting system readiness for DCAA audit
- Program Manager (if existing counter-UAS portfolio) (within 4 hours) — Leverage existing customer relationships; technical lessons learned from previous demonstrations; supply chain activation for rapid prototype build
First 48-Hour Playbook:
Hour 0-4 (Immediate Response Phase):
- Convene virtual response cell within 60 minutes of notification; assign capture manager as single point of accountability
- Execute go/no-go assessment using pre-built decision matrix: technical readiness (can we demonstrate in 30 days?), compliance posture (ITAR/CMMC current?), strategic value (does this advance counter-UAS market position?)
- If GO: Activate pre-positioned teaming agreements; send partnership inquiry emails to 3-5 complementary technology providers (RF detection, C2 integration, kinetic effectors)
- Download and analyze full DIU CSO documentation; extract evaluation criteria, demonstration requirements, submission deadlines
- Assign technical lead to draft preliminary system architecture addressing Group 1-3 detection at 2+ km range
Hour 4-12 (Intelligence Gathering Phase):
