Leonardo DRS has secured a task order to deliver additional counter-unmanned aircraft systems (C-UAS) to the US Army.
The award supports the mobile-Low, slow, small unmanned aircraft system integrated defeat system (M-LIDS) program of the army’s Integrated Fires/Rapid Capabilities Office.
Under the agreement, the company will provide kinetic defeat vehicles and related spares to intercept small aerial drones using electronic warfare.
The M-LIDS system combines the capability of the XM914 30-millimeter kinetic defeat effector cannon and Reconfigurable Integrated-weapons Platform turret by precision control developer Moog Inc.
Instead of explosives, M-LIDS defeats threats through high-velocity impact and destructive shock waves.
“Leonardo DRS is proud to be a member of the M-LIDS team, and we appreciate the opportunity to deliver additional vehicles. Drones have become a dangerous threat to our warfighters,” DRS Land Systems General Manager and Senior Vice President Aaron Hankins stated.
“Delivering M-LIDS vehicles remains one of our highest priorities, and we are excited about this new task order.”
DRS M-LIDS in US Army
The agreement follows a $60 million contract signed by DRS and US Army to support the M-LIDs program in 2022.
The same year, M-LIDS was demonstrated with a two-vehicle setup to trial kinetic and non-kinetic capabilities.
The success enabled US defense to deploy the increment to overseas military installations and allied forces.
DRS is the lead systems integration provider for the US Army’s mobile C-UAS platforms.
