Army Seeks 5,000 Counter-Drone Missiles Under $150,000 as Cheap UAV Threats Strain Air Defenses
Updated
Updated · Washington Examiner · Aug 4
Army Seeks 5,000 Counter-Drone Missiles Under $150,000 as Cheap UAV Threats Strain Air Defenses
3 articles · Updated · Washington Examiner · Aug 4
Summary
A Tuesday Army request for information seeks at least 5,000 next-generation counter-drone missiles priced below $150,000 each to hit Group 2 and 3 UAVs.
The missile must engage targets beyond 10 miles and nearly 4 miles high—stretch goals are 15-plus miles and 5 miles altitude—and launch within five seconds of operator command.
Army officials want the system ready for Army Test and Evaluation Command by the fourth quarter of fiscal 2027, underscoring a fast procurement timeline.
The push reflects pressure to stop cheap drones without burning through far costlier interceptors, a gap exposed during the Iran war and amid signs the Pentagon wants deeper stocks of advanced munitions.
That effort sits alongside broader air-defense expansion, including Pentagon framework agreements announced Monday with Northrop Grumman and Lockheed Martin to boost interceptor-component production.