Companies demonstrated, during an exercise in Texas, a solution that combines radar, artificial intelligence and weapons control to detect and neutralize small drones in simulated combat scenarios.
Echodyne and Moog Inc. announced the results of tests of a new defense system designed to counter small drones, which are increasingly being used as a threat in conflict zones.
The demonstration, called Operation Condor Rebirth, was held in late March at Fort Hood, Texas. The exercise brought together technologies from Moog, Echodyne and Picogrid, with the aim of integrating different equipment into a secure U.S. Army network and validating the system’s performance in live-fire tests against simulated threats.
According to the companies, the solution was able to detect, lock onto, accurately track and engage Group 1 to 3 drones in less than 3 seconds. In practice, this means a rapid response against small and medium-sized drones, which can be difficult to identify and track in operational environments.
The system combines Echodyne’s EchoShield radar, a modular weapons platform from Moog, an onboard computer, artificial intelligence capabilities and integration with existing weapon stations. The proposal is to turn conventional weapon stations into more efficient anti-drone systems, without the need to develop an entirely new solution from scratch.
During the tests, artificial intelligence was used to assist with passive identification, automatic target tracking, reacquisition in the event of temporary track loss and monitoring multiple objects at the same time. The integration also included wireless fire control and data exchange between mission equipment.
According to the companies, the exercise made it possible to quickly identify and correct major flaws in an environment that simulated real field conditions. The result, according to Echodyne and Moog, showed that combining precise radar data with artificial intelligence calculations can be a faster and more cost-effective way to improve defense against drones.
The EchoShield radar is described by Echodyne as a medium-range system capable of providing precise location data for different types of drones. As a commercially available, ready-to-use solution, the equipment can be integrated with optical sensors, response systems and existing platforms.
Eben Frankenberg, CEO of Echodyne, said the partnership with Moog shows how high-quality radar sensors and rapid data integration can expand the anti-drone capabilities of systems already deployed in the field. In his view, this approach can be more accessible and faster than creating dedicated platforms from scratch.
Mike Gruver, senior vice president of Defense at Moog, highlighted that strengthening defenses against drones has become a priority as these threats continue to evolve. According to him, cooperation with companies such as Echodyne makes it possible to deliver new capabilities to the United States and its allies.
Source: Echodyne / Moog Inc. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
