DOD will field directed energy counter drone systems at five US installations under a JCO pilot, the first program of record to put DEW counter UAS capability on named CONUS sites.

Hegseth fired Army Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George on April 2, 2026, along with two other senior generals, removing the Army's top uniformed leader during active combat against Iran in a decision driven by a promotion list dispute and widely read as part of a broader purge of officers not aligned with the administration.