Pentagon signs $500 million counter-drone systems contract

The Pentagon has signed a $500 million contract to acquire counter-drone systems, the US Department of Defence has said.

According to the department, California-based AeroVironment, headquartered in Simi Valley, has secured a firm-fixed-price contract to supply commercial counter-unmanned aerial systems (C-UAS) equipment and small unmanned aircraft system (sUAS) defeat systems, Caliber.Az reports.

The contract will run through June 2029.

“AeroVironment Inc., Simi Valley, California, was awarded a $500,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract for the procurement of commercial counter-unmanned aerial systems and counter small-unmanned aerial systems capabilities. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of June 29, 2029,” the statement noted.

The Defence Department stressed that specific delivery quantities, work locations, and funding sources will be determined as individual orders are placed under the agreement.

AeroVironment is a major US defence contractor specialising in the development of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and counter-drone technologies.

By Bakhtiyar Abbasov