System Will Protect Ground Troops From Enemy Drones

The U.S. Army has awarded a contract valued at up to $42 million to Leonardo DRS under an urgent operational need to develop a comprehensive counter-unmanned aerial system (C-UAS) capability to protect soldiers from enemy drones.

Leonardo DRS is the lead systems integrator of a two-vehicle C-UAS capability which includes Moog’s Reconfigurable Integrated-weapons Platform (RIwP) turret, Leonardo DRS’ mast-mounted Surveillance and Battlefield Reconnaissance Equipment – known as SABRE, and other government-provided technologies.  When integrated on the two MRAP All-Terrain Vehicles, the system will provide troops with a mobile C-UAS capability which detects, identifies, tracks and defeats small unmanned aerial systems.

“Drones are becoming an increasingly dangerous threat against our forward deployed soldiers, and we are proud to support this urgent requirement to protect them from potentially lethal small unmanned aerial vehicles,” said Aaron Hankins, Vice President and General Manager, DRS Land Systems.  “We are working hard to deliver the best capability to our soldiers as quickly as possible,” Hankins said.

This production contract was awarded as part of the Army’s Mobile Low, Slow Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Integrated Defense System, Increment 1 effort.  In addition to providing capabilities to our deployed forces, it also informs the Army’s future C-UAS requirements. The vehicle integration will be performed by Leonardo DRS’ business unit, DRS Land Systems, in St. Louis, Missouri.

(Source: Leonardo DRS news release)

FMI: www.moog.com, www.drs.com