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Last Update: 09/22/2026 at 11:34 PM EST
U.S. Counter-Drone Procurement
Coverage from Yahoo, Newstarget, and others
U.
S. counter-drone procurement brings together military acquisition programs, defense suppliers, and the technologies used to detect and defeat unmanned aircraft. A prominent example is the Army’s Enduring High Energy Laser program, under which AeroVironment’s 30-kilowatt LOCUST X3 is being moved toward production for vehicle-mounted and palletized deployments. The broader subject also includes kinetic interceptors, networked detection, platform integration, manufacturing capacity, and the effort to match affordable defenses to threats such as Group 3 drones and swarm attacks.
Looking Back
128 Day Timeline
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All Articles33 articles
Important
AeroVironment CEO Wahid Nawabi said LOCUST laser counter-UAS intercepted drones during a maritime USS George H.W. Bush demonstration after Q4 earnings beat expectations.
6/30/2026 • Military Drones & Battlefield Use • General
The U.S. Army awarded AeroVironment a $464.8 million contract for the LOCUST X3 counter-drone laser on August 7, targeting Group 3 drones including Iran's Shahed-136.
9/8/2026 • Counter-Drone & Airspace Security • General
On September 2, 2026, the US Army awarded AeroVironment a $464.8 million agreement in the United States to produce LOCUST X3 laser systems for countering drones.
9/7/2026 • Counter-Drone & Airspace Security • General
The U.S. Army awarded Albuquerque-based AeroVironment a $464.8 million contract for LOCUST X3 counter-drone lasers intended for Group 3 unmanned aircraft.
9/4/2026 • Counter-Drone & Airspace Security • General
The U.S. Army announced in Washington a $464.8 million award to AeroVironment for LOCUST X3 laser counter-drone systems under the E-HEL program.
9/2/2026 • Counter-Drone & Airspace Security • General
AeroVironment announced on September 2, 2026, a $464.8 million U.S. Army award for LOCUST X3 counter-UAS laser systems in the United States.
9/2/2026 • Counter-Drone & Airspace Security • General
The U.S. Army awarded AeroVironment a $464.8 million contract for LOCUST X3 laser systems to counter Group 3 drones and swarms in military operations.
9/2/2026 • Counter-Drone & Airspace Security • General
In a recent agreement, the U.S. Army awarded AeroVironment $464.8 million to produce LOCUST X3 laser systems for counter-drone defense in the United States.
9/2/2026 • Counter-Drone & Airspace Security • General
AeroVironment received an $80.5 million JIATF-401 contract for Titan MS counter-drone surveillance under the Pentagon Domestic Shield initiative.
7/7/2026 • Counter-Drone & Airspace Security • General
AeroVironment received an $80.5 million JIATF-401 award for Titan MS under Domestic Shield to expand counter-UAS protection for defense-critical sites.
7/6/2026 • Counter-Drone & Airspace Security • General
The U.S. Army awarded AeroVironment a 500 million contract on July 1, 2026, for LOCUST X3 laser, Titan RF jamming, and Freedom Eagle kinetic counter-UAS systems through 2029.
7/3/2026 • Counter-Drone & Airspace Security • General
AeroVironment won a $500 million U.S. Army contract in the 2020s to deliver three-year layered counter-UAS defenses against Group 1-3 small drones for troops and bases.
7/2/2026 • Counter-Drone & Airspace Security • General
JIATF-401 selected AeroVironment Titan-MS counter-drone systems in an $80.5 million award for Air Force installation defense under Domestic Shield.
7/7/2026 • Counter-Drone & Airspace Security • General
AeroVironment secured a more than $50 million international LOCUST order, expanding deployment of its laser counter-drone system beyond the United States.
9/9/2026 • Counter-Drone & Airspace Security • General
AeroVironment announced in the United States an international purchase order exceeding $50 million for LOCUST, its laser-based counter-drone system.
9/8/2026 • Counter-Drone & Airspace Security • General
AeroVironment will produce LOCUST X3 directed-energy counter-drone systems under a $464.8 million U.S. Army contract over the next several years in the United States.
9/19/2026 • Counter-Drone & Airspace Security • General
In 2026, AeroVironment is expanding LOCUST directed-energy counter-drone operations in the United States as military and border users seek cheaper interceptors.
9/11/2026 • Counter-Drone & Airspace Security • General
AeroVironment CEO Wahid Nawabi tied record fiscal 2026 sales to Ukraine and Iran-driven demand for military drones, loitering munitions, and counter-drone systems after the BlueHalo acquisition.
7/1/2026 • Market, Companies & Supply Chain • General
Interesting
The U.S. Army awarded AeroVironment a $464.8 million contract in the United States for LOCUST X3 lasers to counter drones threatening troops and partner forces in the Middle East.
9/6/2026 • Counter-Drone & Airspace Security • General
AeroVironment reported stronger fiscal first-quarter drone operations and new counter-drone contracts on August 1, with results generated primarily through U.S. defense programs.
9/10/2026 • Market, Companies & Supply Chain • General
AeroVironment reported fiscal 2027 first-quarter growth in the United States as drone revenue, bookings, and government counter-drone contracts increased.
9/10/2026 • Market, Companies & Supply Chain • General
AeroVironment reported strong fiscal 2026 growth and received a $464.8 million U.S. Army contract while competition intensified across tactical drone markets.
9/4/2026 • Market, Companies & Supply Chain • General
The U.S. Army awarded Griffon Aerospace up to $133 million on August 10 at Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, for Outlaw aerial target systems and support through 2026.
8/26/2026 • Military Drones & Battlefield Use • General
AeroVironment and Applied Intuition announced a U.S. military teaming agreement to integrate Acuity ISR/Strike with Mayhem 10 for autonomous swarm operations.
7/29/2026 • Military Drones & Battlefield Use • General
AeroVironment reported fiscal 2026 results and outlined a counter-UAS growth plan spanning Titan jamming, LOCUST directed energy, and Freedom Eagle-1 interception.
7/2/2026 • Market, Companies & Supply Chain • General
AeroVironment reported on August 1 fiscal 2027 first-quarter growth, driven by autonomous systems and defense contracts in the United States.
9/10/2026 • Market, Companies & Supply Chain • General
AEVEX Corp. announced a $41 million award on Thursday in California to supply unidentified American government customers with autonomous one-way attack systems.
8/21/2026 • Military Drones & Battlefield Use • General
Teledyne FLIR Defense will supply Argus XL counter-UAS platforms to AeroVironment for U.S. Air Force domestic installation and critical infrastructure protection.
7/29/2026 • Counter-Drone & Airspace Security • General
The U.S. Army awarded AeroVironment a $500 million counter-drone contract on July 1, 2026, with delivery work estimated to finish by June 29, 2029, via Army Contracting Command at Detroit Arsenal.
7/2/2026 • Counter-Drone & Airspace Security • General
The Pentagon awarded Perennial Autonomy a $500 million Counter-UAS contract in 2020s procurement, coordinating via Joint Interagency Task Force 401 for AI interceptor systems.
5/25/2026 • Counter-Drone & Airspace Security • General
The Defense Department FY27 budget request allocates $994 million for Army small cUAS procurement, including Freedom Eagle-1 NGCM and Enduring High Energy Laser systems.
5/15/2026 • Counter-Drone & Airspace Security • General
Autonomous Guard received a follow-up $400,000 counter-UAS order in Asia, including Skybeam detection, jamming, and interception systems for Q4 2026 delivery.
7/28/2026 • Counter-Drone & Airspace Security • General
Additional
AeroVironment outlined fiscal 2027 drone, loitering munition, and counter-UAS production plans during an earnings call, citing federal budget timing as the driver of back-half weighted results.
6/30/2026 • Market, Companies & Supply Chain • General