The Army's $4.15 Billion Counter-Drone Buy Is Built for U.S. Bases, Not Russia's Jet Drones
The Army's $4.15 billion Domestic Shield counter-drone vehicle fits the small drone over a U.S. base. Only $50 million is funded, and its one Ukraine-tested interceptor flies at about half the speed of Russia's Geran-4.
Domestic Shield opens a fast purchasing route for base defense. Allies facing Russia need to judge its products against the faster drones now hitting Kyiv.
The Army's $4.15 billion counter-drone vehicle fits the small drone over a U.S. base, and the Pentagon is now pitching the same catalog to allies whose threat flies twice as fast. The Army announcement ties the awards to Domestic Shield, a Department of War effort run through Joint Interagency Task Force 401 to protect risk-prioritized defense facilities inside the United States.
Three numbers frame the gap. Only $50 million of the ceiling is funded. The one winner linked to an interceptor with a Ukrainian combat record makes Merops, a $15,000 drone that flies faster than 175 mph, about 280 km/h. Russia's jet-powered Geran-4 peaks around 500 km/h, and Ukraine's Air Force counted 3,177 jet Gerans launched in September through Sept. 29.
Sept. 28: Ten Contracts
Army Contracting Command awarded 10 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contracts on Sept. 28, running through late September 2029, according to the Pentagon's contract notices. The solicitation drew 50 bids. Seven firms received $500 million ceilings: Allen Control Systems, Digital Force Technologies, DroneShield, Napatree Technology, RADA Technologies, SRC and L3Harris WESCAM. Echodyne and PVP Advanced EO Systems each received $250 million; SmartShooter received $150 million.
The Army describes equipment ranging from smart rifle scopes and robotic weapon stations to compact radars and long-range tracking cameras. "We've laid the contracting foundation before the next requirement hits," said Brent Ingraham, the Army's acquisition chief, who added that the service does not want to be locked into a single vendor. Brig. Gen. Matt Ross, who directs JIATF-401, was blunter: "There's no silver bullet."
Col. Tony Lindh, the task force's rapid-acquisition lead, said $50 million had been obligated across the 10 contracts as of Sept. 29, with further orders contingent on the continuing resolution and the budget. Officials named neither the products to be ordered nor delivery dates. The ceilings create purchasing capacity. Task orders will decide what reaches a base.
Frequently Asked Questions
What did the Army award for Domestic Shield?
Ten firm-fixed-price IDIQ contracts with a combined $4.15 billion ceiling, awarded Sept. 28 and running through late September 2029, per the Army and the Pentagon's contract notices. Seven firms got $500 million ceilings, two got $250 million and SmartShooter got $150 million.
How much of the $4.15 billion is actually funded?
About $50 million had been obligated across the 10 contracts as of Sept. 29, JIATF-401's Col. Tony Lindh said. Further orders depend on the continuing resolution and the fiscal 2027 budget.
What do the winning companies make?
Four winners (Echodyne, PVP, RADA and L3Harris WESCAM) sell radars or cameras, together holding $1.5 billion of ceiling. Allen Control Systems and SmartShooter make gun turrets and rifle sights, DroneShield makes RF detection and jamming gear, and SRC leads the Army's LIDS system. The Army has not said which products it will buy.
Can Merops catch Russia's jet-powered Gerans?
Merops flies faster than 175 mph, about 280 km/h, per Business Insider, while IEEE Spectrum puts Geran-4's peak near 500 km/h. A BlueBird Tech source puts the practical limit of propeller interceptors at about 450 km/h. Merops' Ukrainian record of more than 1,000 intercepts was built against slower Shahed-type drones.
Can allies buy these systems?
Yes. Army acquisition chief Brent Ingraham said the counter-drone marketplace is open to allies and that automated tools cut foreign sales from months to days. Australia bought a drone through drones.mil in September.
AI-generated summary, reviewed by an editor. More on our AI guidelines.
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Marcus Schuler
Marcus Schuler edits BattlePolicy, a daily defense-technology brief connecting the companies and capabilities behind modern war to the contest among Europe, the US, Russia, and China.