The Rapid Employment Joint Task Force (REJTF) aims to quickly field advanced technologies to troops in the Middle East, North Africa, and parts of Asia.
US Central Command (CENTCOM) is establishing a new innovation task force to accelerate the deployment of advanced technologies, such as counter-drone weapons and unmanned maritime vessels, to troops operating in the Middle East, North Africa, and parts of Asia.
60-Day Goal: Rapid Innovation Deployment
Joy Shanaberger, CENTCOM’s chief technology officer, stated, „Our goal is to rapidly deliver innovation, meaning putting combat-credible capability into the hands of our warfighters in 60 days or less.” The new Rapid Employment Joint Task Force (REJTF) is designed to achieve this ambitious timeline.
Synergizing Service-Level Efforts
Shanaberger’s REJTF will draw capabilities from various service-level task forces, including:
- Army Central Command’s Task Force 39: Experimenting with additive manufacturing, counter-drone technologies, and unmanned ground logistics vehicles.
- Naval Forces Central Command’s Task Force 59: Working with robotic and AI systems for maritime operations.
- Air Force Central Command’s Task Force 99: Exploring lower-cost methods for 3D printing aerial drones and long-endurance intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) platforms.
- Special Operations Command Central’s Task Force 179: Developing digital and unmanned solutions for ISR, target sharing, electronic warfare, and payload delivery options.
Collaboration and Efficiency
„We will find newer, better, and more efficient ways to equip our forces while working alongside our regional partners,” said Shanaberger.
Hegseth’s Directive: Accelerating Drone Acquisition
The creation of the REJTF aligns with Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth’s mid-summer directive to accelerate the acquisition and fielding of cheaper drones.
Empowering Warfighters
Adm. Brad Cooper, CENTCOM commander, emphasized, „This is about getting new warfighting capabilities into the hands of our skilled warfighters faster. The new task force will synergize existing efforts among our Service components and support Secretary Hegseth’s drive to rapidly equip our warriors.”
