JIATF 401 evaluating production decision for air-to-air interceptor

A Perennial Autonomy Bumblebee prepares to take off during a JIATF 401 operational assessment at Fort Benning, Georgia. (Janes/Meredith Roaten)

The Pentagon's counter-unmanned aerial system (C-UAS) agency is weighing whether it will send a Perennial Autonomy quadcopter to the next level of evaluation before production, an acquisition officer said on 8 July.

The Bumblebee V2 quadcopter has been evaluated for nine weeks in total throughout 2026, Lieutenant Colonel Alex Morse, acquisition officer for the mobile acquisition team in Joint Interagency Task Force 401 (JIATF 401), told reporters during an operational assessment Fort Benning, Georgia. A USD5.2 million contract was awarded to Perennial Autonomy for the unmanned aerial systems (UAS) for C-UAS testing, but production awards could go through a USD500 million indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contract awarded in May 2026.

The IDIQ contract award is for Bumblebee, Merops C-UAS, and Hornet mid-range strike UAS, but no orders have yet been placed through that award.

The most recent three-week sprint is the first formal assessment of the quadcopter, Lt Col Morse said. During the assessment 75th Ranger Regiment soldiers flew the UAVs and attempted to hit small UAS out of the sky. Another sprint where soldiers were asked to provide feedback on the UAS took place at Fort Bragg, North Carolina earlier this year.

After testing is completed at the end of the week, the mobile acquisition team will make a recommendation to JIATF 401 director Brigadier General Matt Ross about whether to stay in the current level of assessment or move on, Lt Col Morse said. If the quadcopter moves on, JIATF 401 will test it in multiple locations with different services, he added