Leidos has delivered the US Army’s initial Enduring Shield Launchers as part of the agency’s Indirect Fire Protection Capability program.
Enduring Shield is a ground-based mobile weapon system to neutralize airborne threats such as drones, cruise missiles, and other projectiles.
It incorporates a launcher, an interceptor, and a magazine to support firepower against such targets.
Once operational, the system will be controlled via the army’s existing Integrated Air and Missile Defense Battle Command System and leverage the Sentinel Radar as its sensor.
Leidos wrote that the Enduring Shield launchers will play a significant role in securing military and civilian infrastructures by “bridging the gap” between tactical short-range air defense or SHORAD and strategic systems.
“We know how vital Enduring Shield is to our Army customer, our warfighters and our nation,” Leidos Weapon Systems Operations Manager Larry Barisciano stated.
“Delivering these units today means so much to our team. We are proud to have reached this point and are excited for the testing and fielding milestones to come.”
Indirect Fire System Progress
Leidos segment Dynetics accepted the contract to develop the Enduring Shield in September 2021. The handover’s original date was set for March 2023, but was delayed “due to supply chain issuers and technical challenges.”
Last February, Leidos contracted Curtiss-Wright for actuators that will be used to move and control the Enduring Shield’s mechanisms.
The company then fired an experimental missile interceptor from the Enduring Shield in early December to assess the indirect fire system’s launch capabilities.
The US Army will pursue the Developmental Test phase of the Enduring Shield prototypes next year, during which Leidos will continue preparing the next set of launchers in its Chase facility for orders expected in 2025.
“This milestone by the Enduring Shield team is a prime example of how Leidos Dynetics is working to build critical weapons systems for our warfighters right here in North Alabama,” Leidos Dynetics President Steve Cook said.
“I’m incredibly proud of this accomplishment by the team and look forward to our continued work with the US Army on this important program.”