AeroVironment Selected for U.S. Army Next-Generation Counter-Drone Missile

AeroVironment was selected by the U.S. Army on October 22 and awarded a $95.9 million contract to deliver its Freedom Eagle (FE-1) missile for the Army’s Long-Range Kinetic Interceptor program.

The company will deliver FE-1 as part of the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Aviation & Missile Center (CCDC AvMC) Aviation & Missile Technology Consortium (AMTC) effort to field a next-generation kinetic counter-unmanned aircraft systems (counter-UAS) missile.

The contract value is $95.9 million. The award directs AeroVironment to supply FE-1 units intended to engage Group 2 and Group 3 unmanned aircraft systems while retaining residual capability against Group 1 UAS and selected fixed- and rotary-wing threats.

Company statements say FE-1 has completed key development milestones, including a live-fire demonstration of its dual-thrust solid rocket motor, controlled test vehicle launches and warhead tests. Those test events are cited as reducing technical risk ahead of fielding.

Jimmy Jenkins, Executive Vice President of AV’s Precision Strike and Defense Systems Group, said the company is scaling production to deliver FE-1 to front-line units.

AeroVironment said it formed industry partnerships, including with Applied Systems Engineering Inc. (ASEI), to meet the program schedule and production demands. FE-1 will join the company’s existing counter-UAS offerings that include directed energy, radio-frequency and electronic-warfare capabilities; the company also supplies precision strike and loitering munitions.