Today, in a major effort to accelerate defense modernization and strengthen security cooperation across the Western Hemisphere, the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army for Defense Exports and Cooperation (DASA (DEC)), Mr. Patrick Mason, and his delegation visited U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) headquarters in Doral, Florida, to consult with General Francis Donovan. The high-level talks focused on the U.S. Army’s landmark acquisition reforms, highlighted by the roll-out of the Unmanned Aircraft Systems and Counter-UAS (UAS/C-UAS) Marketplace. This novel security assistance tool is designed to deliver rapid, agile solutions to key partner nations, directly aligning with the strategic security goals of the region.
The UAS/C-UAS Marketplace, a flagship initiative of the Secretary of the Army (SECARMY) with DASA (DEC) serving as the lead Foreign Military Sales (FMS) proponent, acts as a groundbreaking online purchasing platform—akin to an "Amazon Prime" model—for partner defense forces. Built to streamline and drastically speed up the traditional FMS process, the platform allows selected international partners to acquire and field critical aerial and counter-aerial capabilities rapidly. Globally, the program is being offered to an exclusive cohort of partner nations; a first tranche of invitations has been extended to partners in the SOUTHCOM area of responsibility with Argentina and Panama accepting to date. A second tranche of invitations will be extended in the coming months.
"Our goal with the UAS/Counter-UAS Marketplace is to speed up the delivery of highly interoperable systems to our allies when they need it," said Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army for Defense Exports and Cooperation Patrick Mason. "By establishing an agile, user-friendly platform, the U.S. Army is empowering our partners in the Western Hemisphere to acquire critical, life-saving defense technology at the speed of relevance. In support of General Donovan and our colleagues at SOUTHCOM, we are synchronizing and aligning regional security imperatives, bolstering collective defense capabilities, and delivering modernized systems more efficiently."
The marketplace directly supports the SOUTHCOM Commander’s Imperatives, particularly the directive to develop and field cost-effective, modernized forces. By leveraging autonomous and counter-autonomous systems, the initiative seeks to enhance regional domain awareness, lethality, and seamless data sharing among allies and partners. Furthermore, these efforts directly bolster the operational focus of the Americas Counter Cartel Coalition (A3C), providing partner nations with the precise technological tools needed to counter highly sophisticated transnational criminal threats and secure strategic key terrain in our shared neighborhood.
"Modern challenges require modernized partnerships, and the UAS/C-UAS Marketplace is a game-changer for how we support our partners," said General Donovan. "In our fight against regional security threats and transnational criminal organizations, speed and interoperability are key. This initiative gives our partners the rapid-acquisition capabilities they need to protect their sovereign borders and collaborate on shared security objectives. The integration of these tools into our strategic plan is exactly how we deliver on our commitment to a secure, stable, and sovereign Western Hemisphere."
While at SOUTHCOM headquarters, Mr. Mason and his delegation conducted a series of highly productive consultations with key staff directories and command elements. Discussions with the Strategy, Policy, and Plans directorate (SCJ5), the Joint Task Force Western Hemisphere Commander (JTF WHEM CDR), and the Foreign Policy Advisor (FPA) centered on optimizing security cooperation frameworks. These sessions provided invaluable feedback on how the Army Security Assistance Enterprise (ASAE) can best tailor its support to match both the A3C counter-cartel efforts and the Combatant Commander's strategic vision for regional burden-sharing.
Following the consultations at SOUTHCOM, Mr. Mason is scheduled to meet with Argentina's Minister of Defense to sign a formal Letter of Offer and Acceptance (LOA) for 300 Stryker fighting vehicles. This landmark acquisition not only underscores Argentina’s leading role as an early adopter of the UAS/C-UAS Marketplace but also represents a massive leap forward in partner-nation modernization and tactical mobility, reinforcing a shared commitment to regional stability.
The Army plans to expand the marketplace model, opening the doors to a broader range of critical capabilities and technology domains soon.