The U.S. Army has awarded AeroVironment (AV) a significant $95.9 million contract to produce the Freedom Eagle (FE-1), a next-generation kinetic interceptor designed specifically to address emerging threats posed by unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). This initiative is part of the Long-Range Kinetic Interceptor program, overseen by the U.S. Army’s Combat Capabilities Development Command Aviation & Missile Center in collaboration with the Aviation & Missile Technology Consortium.
AV has successfully completed a series of development milestones for the FE-1, which includes live-fire test scenarios, controlled test vehicle launches, and rigorous warhead evaluations. These achievements illustrate that the missile is fully developed and presents a reduced risk as it approaches field deployment.
To expedite the design and production process, AV has partnered with various industry leaders, including Applied Systems Engineering, which specializes in avionics and engineering solutions. “We’re ready to transition this disruptive technology from research and development to the battlefield and focused on ramping up manufacturing to deliver with scale and speed,” said Daniel Noland, Senior Director of Strategic Capture for AV. He emphasized the increasing need for counter-drone capabilities, as drones have become some of the most challenging aerial threats the U.S. faces today.
The Freedom Eagle (FE-1) is engineered to intercept and neutralize Group 2 and Group 3 UAVs, which typically encompass medium-sized tactical drones employed for surveillance, targeting, or light-strike missions. The FE-1 is designed to integrate seamlessly into layered air-defense systems, providing a critical kinetic hard-kill capability when non-kinetic options, such as jamming or directed energy, are inadequate or fail to neutralize threats.
To achieve operational success, the missile is powered by a dual-thrust solid rocket motor, allowing for rapid initial acceleration followed by a sustained-burn phase that is essential for extended-range engagements. AV touts the FE-1 as a low-cost, high-performance interceptor that is not only engineered for quick launch capabilities but also designed for scalable production to meet future operational demands.
