Lockheed Leads Fortem's $50 Million Round to Scale DroneHunter for Its Sanctum Network

A Utah counter-drone company gets a prime's money and battle-management software, and the Army's new counter-drone IDIQ does not name it.

Fortem Technologies closed a $50 million Series B led by Lockheed Martin, Fortem announced Sept. 30. Lockheed committed the $25 million first tranche in April. Drone component maker Unusual Machines and other investors joined. The money will accelerate manufacturing in Lindon, Utah, and expand SkyDome deployments, the company said. Chief business officer Charlie O'Connell told Tectonic the round was "oversubscribed" and valued Fortem at "under a billion dollars."

SkyDome combines TrueView radar, command software and DroneHunter interceptors, Fortem's release states. DroneHunter is an autonomous, radar-guided quadcopter that captures drones with a net. Fortem claims it alone is authorized to deploy a drone-on-drone kinetic interceptor in U.S. airspace.

Lockheed brings Sanctum, its counter-drone mission-management software. In March, Lockheed contracted Fortem to integrate its radars and interceptors with Sanctum for infrastructure protection, according to Fortem. On June 3, Lockheed said Fortem R-40 radars and Sanctum tracked a Group 3 attack drone in a test. A JAGM from Lockheed's GRIZZLY launcher then intercepted the target, the company added. Lockheed also said in April that its investment would at least double Lindon's manufacturing capacity.

In August, DHS made Fortem a prime on its five-year counter-drone hardware and software contract, the only small business selected, Fortem said. The $1.011 billion starting ceiling covers the whole vehicle, DroneLife noted, and DHS components issue task orders. Fortem's release also cites a multimillion-dollar contract for World Cup venues.

Fortem counts a three-year, $18 million Army contract to defend installations, according to Tectonic. It was cleared in November 2025 to sell directly through the Army's Global Tactical Edge Acquisition Directorate marketplace, The Defense Post reported. After Lockheed's April investment, Fortem "started hiring engineers and purchasing long-lead items," O'Connell said.

The Army began awarding a counter-drone contract vehicle worth up to $7 billion on Sept. 28, Breaking Defense reported. Its list of 10 awardees does not include Fortem. A large contract vehicle lets companies "raise additional capital to build up their inventory," Brig. Gen. Matt Ross, JIATF-401's commander, told reporters. The Army will also buy through commercial solutions openings, existing service contracts and marketplaces, officials added.

Neither company disclosed a production rate, Sanctum order volumes or the March customer.

The next tests are DHS task orders to Fortem under the August contract and whether the Lindon plant at least doubles its capacity, as Lockheed said in April it would.