- Category
- World
US Awards $500 Million Counter-Drone Contract to Perennial Autonomy With Ukraine Battlefield Experience
Prefer U24 Media on Google
- Authors
![Photo of Dariia Mykhailenko]( "Photo of Dariia Mykhailenko")
The Pentagon has awarded a contract to Perennial Autonomy to develop and procure counter-drone systems for the United States Army, the US Department of Defense has said on May 18.
We bring you stories from the ground. Your support keeps our team in the field.
The agreement, valued at $500 million, was signed by Joint Interagency Task Force 401, an interagency US structure responsible for coordinating the development of counter-unmanned aerial systems for the American military.
The Pentagon is seeking AI-based interceptor systems, including Merops interceptors, Bumblebee quadcopters, and medium-range Hornet strike drones currently used by US Central Command forces.
The contract provides for the development and integration of Counter-UAS technologies aimed at protecting military bases, critical infrastructure, and US units.
“[The task force] continues to advance our counter-drone capabilities by fielding systems that can operate across multiple domains and integrate with existing command and control architectures,” said Army Brig. Gen. Matt Ross, JIATF 401 director. “This partnership provides the joint force with state-of-the-art, counter-UAS capability to remain lethal on today's modern battlefield.”
Under the program, the US military plans to deploy systems for automated drone detection, airspace analysis, and autonomous threat response.
Ukrainian defense outlet Militarnyi noted that Perennial Autonomy has already tested certain solutions incorporating lessons learned from modern conflicts, including the ongoing war in Ukraine.
-ef8b1c4a17b2798865714e0df8f6d423.jpg)
Perennial Autonomy was initially founded by former Google CEO Eric Schmidt under the name Project Eagle. The company developed the Merops interceptor to help Ukrainian forces counter Russia’s Shahed-type drones, and the system has reportedly destroyed thousands of Russian one-way attack UAVs over the past two years in Ukraine.
At the same time, a new report by the US Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), prepared at the request of Congress, says Ukraine is effectively using technology, intelligence, and tactical innovation to inflict significant losses on Russian forces while preventing Moscow from achieving its operational objectives.
According to the DIA and US European Command, Russia’s military capabilities in Ukraine were “temporarily but substantially weakened” after Ukrainian officials took action in February to disable thousands of Starlink terminals being used by Russian forces.
Discuss this article:
-457ad7ae19a951ebdca94e9b6bf6309d.png)
-111f0e5095e02c02446ffed57bfb0ab1.jpeg "Photo of Roman Kohanets")
