Update: Upgraded industry-funded directed energy C-UAS vehicle to appear in US Army training exercise

A US Army Stryker outfitted with a BlueHalo Locust laser performed a demonstration for the service taking down unmanned aircraft systems. (Leonardo DRS)

An industry-funded directed energy counter-unmanned aircraft system (C-UAS) vehicle is headed to the US Army's Fires Center of Excellence later this year with upgrades, lead integrator Leonardo DRS told Janes on 21 March.

This directed energy weapon, supplied by BlueHalo, is strapped to the back of a Stryker fighting vehicle, which has recently been provided by General Dynamics Land Systems – a new addition to the team, said Ed House, senior director of business development for land systems at Leonardo DRS. Additional upgrades to the system include protections to fire multiple effectors “simultaneously” and shooting off rockets from the vehicle for the first time at an event at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, in June, said House.

During the training event in June, Sergeant Stout – the army's Maneuver-Short Range Air Defense (M-SHORAD) programme of record – will be paired up with Leonardo DRS and BlueHalo's directed energy mobile-low, slow, small-unmanned aircraft integrated air defence (DE M-LIDS) solution, which is sponsored by the Rapid Capabilities and Critical Technologies Office (RCCTO). Although not officially a programme of record, the army sees the platform as “a part of the M-LIDS programme” by “adding additional laser capability to that programme”, a Leonardo DRS spokesperson told Janes on 31 March. The DE M-SHORAD programme of record will also shoot down targets during the event, House told Janes .

The Mission Equipment Package has access to 55 kW of power, 26 kW of which goes to the BlueHalo Locust laser system.