Safran Electronics & Defense and MSI-Defence Systems will jointly develop and promote counter-uncrewed aerial systems (C-UAS) capabilities, integrating Safran’s optronic sights on MSI’s SEAHAWK naval and TERRAHAWK land gun systems.

The Franco-British collaboration has already secured an initial contract from a NATO European navy.

Under this contract, Safran will provide sighting systems for SEAHAWK DS30M 30 mm gun mounts aboard mine countermeasure vessels, with deliveries in 2027. Each mount will incorporate VIGEO, a version of Safran’s stabilised gunner sight adapted for maritime operations.

VIGEO is mounted directly on the gun and is designed to provide day and night target acquisition, laser ranging and fire control. It is part of a C-UAS suite including PASEO and VIGY 4. Integrated with kinetic or laser-guided effectors, these systems provide threat detection, tracking and neutralisation capabilities.

For more information

Safran Group

MSI-Defence Systems

Image: SEAHAWK DS (MSI-Defence Systems)

The Fall issue of the 2026 Unmanned Airspace Global Counter-UAS Systems Directory is now available. The guide is the world’s only comprehensive, continually updated directory of global C-UAS companies and systems. It itemises over 1,000 C-UAS products and services with performance details, company sales and partnerships arrangements. It is updated every month and broken down into niche sub-sectors (net-capture, missiles, intercept drones, detectors etc) to give C-UAS procurement and industry personnel a unique perspective of global C-UAS technical capabilities and market positions. It is available in word, PDF and excel formats and Unmanned Airspace readers are eligible for a range of discounts. For more information about the Directory please contact the editor Philip Butterworth-Hayes at philip@unmannedairspace.info.

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Shield has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Echodyne Corp., in a transaction valued at USD 5.3 billion.

Echodyne radars are built into counter-uncrewed aerial systems (C-UAS) platforms and security systems used by defence, government and commercial customers in more than 40 countries. The company’s compact, solid-state radars use its patented Metamaterials Electronically Scanned Array (MESA) technology.

In September, Echodyne received a contract with a USD 250 million ceiling from the United States’ Joint Interagency Task Force 401 to supply C-UAS radar to US and allied forces. 

Echodyne’s team will remain in place, with MESA radars remaining available as standalone products.

The Echodyne acquisition would also extend Shield’s presence in Washington. Based in Kirkland, Washington, Echodyne recently opened an 86,350-square-foot manufacturing facility, which the company says will be able to produce about 30,000 radars per year. 

Shield is raising USD 2.5 billion to support the transaction, including USD 1 billion in Series H funding at a USD 28.8 billion post-money valuation, a USD 1 billion structured equity investment from funds managed by Blackstone and USD 500 million in debt financing led by JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. as Sole Arranger. Of the USD 5.3 billion transaction value, USD 4.8 billion will be paid and issued at closing and up to an additional USD 500 million is contingent on Echodyne meeting agreed performance targets. 

The Series H is co-led by Disruptive and Innovation X Capital, with participation from Advent, the Strategic Investment Group of JPMorganChase’s Security and Resiliency Initiative, Snowpoint Ventures, Apandion, Center15 Capital and others. Series H proceeds will be used principally to fund the acquisition.  

The acquisition is expected to close in early 2027, subject to receipt of applicable regulatory approvals and satisfaction of other customary closing conditions. 

For more information

Shield

Echodyne

Image: Echodyne

The Fall issue of the 2026 Unmanned Airspace Global Counter-UAS Systems Directory is now available. The guide is the world’s only comprehensive, continually updated directory of global C-UAS companies and systems. It itemises over 1,000 C-UAS products and services with performance details, company sales and partnerships arrangements. It is updated every month and broken down into niche sub-sectors (net-capture, missiles, intercept drones, detectors etc) to give C-UAS procurement and industry personnel a unique perspective of global C-UAS technical capabilities and market positions. It is available in word, PDF and excel formats and Unmanned Airspace readers are eligible for a range of discounts. For more information about the Directory please contact the editor Philip Butterworth-Hayes at philip@unmannedairspace.info.

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NATO’s Communications and Information Agency (NCIA) announced on 5 November that it has selected 16 systems from five companies for the NATO counter-uncrewed aerial systems (C-UAS) marketplace.

The marketplace, which NCIA manages, was first announced in July. It is part of NATO’s Drone Edge, which is investing over USD 40 billion in C-UAS capabilities over the next five years. Through the marketplace, Allies can procure directly from the NATO catalogue without any further tender process.

The five selected companies announced yesterday are Alta Ares, Axon Enterprise Inc., Northrop Grumman, OSL UK and Quantum Systems. The selected equipment covers a mix of static, transportable and on-the-move systems. Each company has already deployed systems in Allied countries and in Ukraine.

NCIA selected the capabilities based on the following four reference scenarios:

• The Point Protection scenario focuses on enhancing the protection of a specific high-value asset or location – such as a military installation, critical infrastructure or command post – through effective detection, tracking and response.
• The Area Protection scenario focuses on the protection of a larger geographical area up to 3km in diameter, such as an airbase, logistics hub or military installation, through coordinated sensors and countermeasures against drone threats.
• The Border Protection scenario extends monitoring and protection across a 20 km border segment through persistent surveillance, early detection, tracking and coordinated responses.
• The Convoy Protection scenario focuses on the protection of moving military convoy up to 300-meter length, travelling at speeds of up to 50 km/h, through mobile C-UAS capabilities capable of detecting, tracking and responding to threats while on the move.

The framework contracts are valid for one and a half years, with the possibility to be extended. NCIA said NATO intends to run regular competitions to ensure that the newest technologies are made available to Allies.

For more information

NCIA

The Fall issue of the 2026 Unmanned Airspace Global Counter-UAS Systems Directory is now available. The guide is the world’s only comprehensive, continually updated directory of global C-UAS companies and systems. It itemises over 1,000 C-UAS products and services with performance details, company sales and partnerships arrangements. It is updated every month and broken down into niche sub-sectors (net-capture, missiles, intercept drones, detectors etc) to give C-UAS procurement and industry personnel a unique perspective of global C-UAS technical capabilities and market positions. It is available in word, PDF and excel formats and Unmanned Airspace readers are eligible for a range of discounts. For more information about the Directory please contact the editor Philip Butterworth-Hayes at philip@unmannedairspace.info.

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Latvian defence technology company ORIGIN and US defence technology company Anduril have demonstrated an integrated counter-uncrewed aircraft system (C-UAS) capability to senior Latvian military leadership, combining ORIGIN’s BLAZE interceptor with Anduril’s Lattice for Air Defense command-and-control platform.

The demonstration took place at a military training facility in Latvia in late October, just over a month after the companies signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on 25 September. BLAZE operated as the interceptor within an integrated air defence configuration using Lattice alongside an existing radar system already deployed for Latvian air defence.

According to the companies, the technical integration of BLAZE into Lattice took four days. The platform connects sensors and effectors through a central command-and-control system, providing operators with a coordinated operational picture.

BLAZE is a radar-guided autonomous interceptor designed to engage aerial threats including drones and loitering munitions. It uses radar data to guide its onboard autopilot towards a target before acquiring and tracking it for interception under operator supervision.

ORIGIN and Anduril said they will continue joint testing and validation on NATO’s eastern flank, alongside developing concepts of operation for C-UAS missions.

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The US Department of War has awarded a contract worth more than USD 6.9 million to CHAOS 1, Inc., for Vanquish Prime advanced radar systems to support counter-uncrewed aircraft system (C-UAS) operations in the US Central Command (CENTCOM) area of responsibility.

The award was made by the department’s Joint Interagency Task Force 401 (JIATF-401) on 4 November. The systems will provide long-range detection and tracking of uncrewed aircraft, improving situational awareness for US forces and supporting layered air defence.

Under the contract, CHAOS 1 will deliver the radar systems to designated locations across the CENTCOM region. The award also includes training and technology to support their integration and operational use.

JIATF-401 said the acquisition forms part of its wider effort to accelerate the delivery of C-UAS capabilities based on operational requirements. The radar systems will provide a detection and tracking layer alongside other technologies used to identify and counter unmanned aircraft threats.

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Ukraine has carried out a large-scale electronic warfare (EW) operation to protect Kyiv against Russian Shahed drones equipped with remote-control capabilities, according to Serhii Beskrestnov, an adviser to the Ukrainian president on defence technology.

In a Facebook post, Beskrestnov said the operation involved creating a protective electronic warfare “cylinder” over the capital to disrupt Mesh radio communications between Russian operators and the drones. Radio modems installed on the Shaheds allow operators based in Russia to control the aircraft remotely and search for targets during flight.

The operation required equipment to be installed at hundreds of locations across Kyiv within a few weeks. According to Beskrestnov, all major Ukrainian EW manufacturers were involved, producing and assembling equipment around the clock. The operation was carried out under the supervision of the president.

Beskrestnov said the effort had forced Russian forces to pause their use of the remote-control approach, upgrade their Shahed drones and seek alternative technical solutions.

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Ondas has secured two multi-million-dollar counter-uncrewed aircraft system (C-UAS) contracts with government customers in Europe and Asia, covering portable drone detection and mitigation systems and autonomous drone interception technology reports the company.

The European contract, awarded by a major police organisation, covers Ondas’ portable Ranger systems, developed by its subsidiary Sentrycs. Designed for mobile security operations, Ranger provides drone detection, identification, tracking and mitigation without requiring permanent infrastructure.

In Asia, a government customer has ordered Iron Drone Raider autonomous interception systems, supplied by Ondas subsidiary Airobotics. The system is designed to physically intercept hostile drones, including those operating without active radio-frequency communications or using autonomous navigation.

The two contracts cover complementary parts of Ondas’ C-UAS portfolio, combining mobile detection and electronic mitigation with autonomous physical interception. The company did not disclose the contract values, customer identities or delivery timelines.

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