A recent live-fire exercise at Fort Hood, Texas, showcased the adaptability of existing U.S. Army turreted weapon stations in countering drone threats. Conducted in late March, the demonstration, named Operation Condor Rebirth, illustrated that these systems can engage aerial threats in under three seconds without the need for dedicated counter-unmanned aerial systems (C-UAS).
The initiative involved collaboration between Echodyne, Moog, and Picogrid, integrating radar, artificial intelligence, and fire-control technologies into a secure U.S. Army network. The setup utilized Moog’s Reconfigurable Integrated-weapons Platform (RIwP), a modular turret system equipped with an onboard edge computer, alongside Echodyne’s EchoShield radar and Picogrid’s Legion software.
This advanced configuration relied on radar-generated airspace data and an AI-based fire control system to quickly calculate firing solutions, maintain tracking, and manage multi-object engagements, including reacquisition of lost tracks. “By combining high-quality radar sensors and rapid integration of data, it is possible to deliver impressive C-UAS capabilities from existing battlefield systems, affordably and more quickly than using purpose-built systems,” remarked Echodyne CEO Eben Frankenberg.
The demonstration successfully engaged Group 1 through Group 3 drones, which encompass a spectrum from handheld quadcopters to systems weighing several hundred pounds, achieving engagement within three seconds of detection. Echodyne’s EchoShield radar is commercially available and designed for medium-range drone detection and tracking.
This versatile system is capable of supporting optical sensor cueing and various counter-UAS effectors through standard data interfaces and machine learning-based classification abilities. Both Echodyne and Moog highlighted that this exercise was instrumental in identifying and addressing capability gaps in a simulated battlefield environment, while also validating the integration of these systems within a military network. Moog Defense Senior Vice President Mike Gruver emphasized the demonstration’s importance in accelerating counter-UAS capabilities for both U.S. and allied forces.
