Kratos Defense & Security Solutions has secured a $7-million production contract for a counter-unmanned aerial system designed to detect, track, and classify airborne threats. The company said the system is capable of identifying low-profile drones as well as other aerial targets such as cruise missiles. Details about the customer, deployment location, and specific configuration of the system were not disclosed due to security considerations. Kratos President and CEO Eric DeMarco said the growing availability of drones, missiles, and loitering munitions among both state and non-state actors is driving demand for advanced counter-air and air defense technologies. The contract comes as Kratos continues to expand its defense programs and partnerships across several sectors. In a separate development, the company and GE Aerospace were jointly awarded a $12.4-million US Air Force contract to design a next-generation expendable engine intended for small Collaborative Combat Aircraft. Kratos has also been involved in international collaboration programs. In Taiwan, the National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology recently conducted tests of the Mighty Hornet IV attack drone integrated with a locally developed payload and mission system. The testing confirmed that the payload operated correctly with the unmanned aircraft without requiring design modifications. Meanwhile, the company is expanding its industrial footprint in the United States with the construction of a new 40,000-square-foot facility in Birmingham, Alabama.
