Contracts · Counter-UAS
AeroVironment, Boeing, Epirus and Kord are first picks for Pentagon counter-drone pilot
Three lasers and a high-powered microwave will be tested for homeland drone defense. The Department of War's announcement gives no dollar value or contract vehicle.
The Department of War on Oct. 5 named the first systems selected for Joint Interagency Task Force 401's directed-energy counter-drone pilot1–2. Three are lasers: AeroVironment's Palletized High-Energy Laser system, Kord's Firefly High-Energy Laser system and Boeing's Compact Laser Weapon system. The fourth is Epirus's Leonidas High-Powered Microwave system1.
Three lasers and a microwave are the first picks for a homeland counter-drone pilot
Systems the Department of War selected for Joint Interagency Task Force 401's directed-energy pilot, by company. Announced Oct. 5, 2026
The announcement gives no dollar value, contract vehicle, quantities or schedule. The department will assess additional laser and microwave systems at a December shoot-off at Dugway Proving Ground.
Source: Department of War release, Oct. 5, 2026. Data as of Oct. 5, 2026.
AeroVironment has been through this task force's testing before. JIATF 401 and the Army's Portfolio Acquisition Executive for Fires led testing of the company's LOCUST laser at White Sands, and an Army award followed. On Sept. 2, AeroVironment said that office had awarded it a $464.8 million Other Transaction Agreement for the Enduring-High Energy Laser program. Under it, the company will deliver "dozens" of LOCUST X3 laser weapon systems3.
The new pilot's stated product is data. Directed by the Fiscal Year 2026 National Defense Authorization Act, it will evaluate the systems' performance and supply "real-time data and feedback on the systems' requirements, costs, and best practices". JIATF 401 is conducting it in close coordination with the Federal Aviation Administration, U.S. Northern Command and the services1. Brig. Gen. Matt Ross, the task force's director, said the pilot will test the systems "in an operational environment so we can understand how best to integrate and sustain them to defend the homeland"1.
The release sets no quantities, schedule or fielding decision for the four, and the department's Oct. 5 contract announcements name none of the companies1, 4.
In December the department will host a shoot-off at Dugway Proving Ground to assess additional high-energy laser and high-powered microwave systems and identify promising capabilities "for future operational use". The four named on Oct. 5 are the pilot's first selections, and the department says it will keep evaluating other directed-energy technologies1.
Clarification, October 7, 2026: The headline changed from “Pentagon names AeroVironment, Epirus, Kord and Boeing for JIATF 401 directed-energy counter-drone pilot” to “AeroVironment, Boeing, Epirus and Kord are first picks for Pentagon counter-drone pilot”. The summary now reads: “Three lasers and a high-powered microwave will be tested for homeland drone defense. The Department of War's announcement gives no dollar value or contract vehicle.” Revision notice clarified October 11, 2026.
Sources (4)
- Department of War: Systems Selected for JIATF 401 Directed-Energy Counter-Drone Pilot Program (Oct. 5, 2026) www.war.gov
- Department of War: Releases list www.war.gov
- AeroVironment: AV's LOCUST Selected for Nearly $500 million Army Counter-UAS Contract for E-HEL (Sept. 2, 2026) www.avinc.com
- Department of War: Contracts for Oct. 5, 2026 www.war.gov
