US: Leonardo combat vehicle defeats 55-pound drones with a software upgrade

A US armored air defense vehicle has defeated simulated Group 1 and Group 2 drones during a recent government test, demonstrating its ability to counter smaller airborne threats without requiring new hardware. Leonardo DRS carried out the demonstration using the SGT STOUT mission equipment package mounted on a Stryker armored fighting vehicle. Updated detection and fire-control functions allowed the existing system to find and engage the simulated targets. The results will support the US Army’s Mobile Low, Slow UAS Integrated Defeat System program and help shape future software-driven air defense capabilities. Vehicle defeats two classes of small drones The test focused on drones from the two smallest categories recognized by the US Department of Defense. Group 1 drones weigh up to 20 pounds (9 kilograms), operate below 1,200 feet (366 meters), and typically fly at relatively low speeds. Group 2 drones can weigh up to 55 pounds (25 kilograms) and reach altitudes of 3,500 feet (1,067 meters). These smaller aircraft present a different target profile from the larger drones, helicopters, and fixed-wing aircraft that the SGT STOUT was initially designed to counter. During the latest event, the system used its existing hardware configuration alongside updated detection and fire-control capabilities. Leonardo DRS said the trial demonstrated a faster and less expensive route for expanding the vehicle’s counter-drone role as aerial threats change. “SGT STOUT was engineered from the start for modernization, so capability can evolve as the threat evolves,” said Aaron Hankins, senior vice president and general manager of Leonardo DRS Land Systems. “This event highlights an upgrade path that emphasizes speed, safety, cybersecurity-by-design, and operational interoperability,” he added. Open architecture supports new capabilities The system’s open architecture allows the US Army to add new functions without conducting a major hardware retrofit. It can accommodate passive sensors, artificial intelligence-based decision tools, and advanced computing capabilities. This design gives operators a way to modify how the vehicle detects, tracks, and responds to new targets while retaining the platform already in service. Data collected during the government test will now feed into the Army’s Mobile Low, Slow UAS Integrated Defeat System program. Leonardo DRS is an industry partner in the initiative, which is developing mobile defenses against drones that fly at low altitudes and speeds. Unlike fixed counter-drone installations, the Stryker-mounted system is designed to move with Army formations. It provides protected air defense for troops and vehicles while they travel through contested areas. Missiles and guns defend moving formations SGT STOUT is built on the Stryker, an eight-wheeled armored fighting vehicle used by the US Army. Its weapons cover different ranges and types of aerial targets. The platform carries two launchers capable of firing Stinger and Hellfire missiles. For closer threats, it is equipped with an XM914 30mm chain gun and an M240 7.62mm machine gun, both of which can be used against low-flying drones. The US military began fielding the platform in 2021 and has since deployed several hundred vehicles. Its original target set included Group 3 drones weighing as much as 1,320 pounds (599 kilograms), along with helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft.The latest demonstration extends that role to much smaller targets, showing that a vehicle originally fielded against larger aircraft can also be adapted to confront lightweight drones.Get the latest in engineering, tech, space & science - delivered daily to your inbox.Atharva is a full-time content writer with a post-graduate degree in media & amp; entertainment and a graduate degree in electronics & telecommunications. He has written in the sports and technology domains respectively. In his leisure time, Atharva loves learning about digital marketing and watching soccer matches. His main goal behind joining Interesting Engineering is to learn more about how the recent technological advancements are helping human beings on both societal and individual levels in their daily lives.