V2X has secured a contract worth up to $19 million to supply Tempest mobile counter-drone vehicles to the US Marine Corps.
The agreement allows the service to order vehicles and related support as operational requirements emerge.
V2X will also provide maintenance, spare parts, software management, training, and engineering assistance.
Tempest is designed to move alongside frontline units, providing counter-drone protection as they advance or reposition.
It combines sensors and effectors to detect, track, and defeat unmanned aerial systems (UAS).
“Unmanned aerial systems are fundamentally changing the modern battlefield, creating an urgent need for counter-UAS solutions that are mobile, effective, and ready to operate in demanding environments,” said Jeremy C. Wensinger, President and Chief Executive Officer of V2X.
Tempest
V2X publicly unveiled the Tempest at the Association of the US Army conference in October last year, presenting it as a mobile firing platform built largely from commercially available components.
The demonstrator featured two weapon launchers and was designed to detect and engage Class 2 and Class 3 drones, which are generally larger, faster, and more capable than the small quadcopters used for short-range surveillance.
Built for brief engagements, the Tempest can rapidly leave its firing position after attacking a target, reducing the time available for enemy forces to locate and strike the vehicle.
According to V2X, the system can operate in adverse weather and be adapted as drone threats and operational requirements evolve.
For missions requiring continuous protection of a single location, the company also offers a trailer-mounted version intended for sites such as airfields and ammunition depots.
