Liteye Systems has secured a contract to integrate the company’s Liteye SHIELD counter-small uncrewed aerial system (C-sUAS) payload.
The multiple-year $5.5m contract supports the US Army Rapid Capabilities and Critical Technologies Office (RCCTO) High Energy Laser (HEL) prototype effort.
Liteye Systems and its partners, alongside SAIC, were chosen by the US Army to take part in the HEL prototype programme development to expand C-sUAS capabilities.
The US Army is serving as the Executive Agent for C-sUAS and continues to focus in the UAS threats elimination.
According to the company, the C-sUAS HEL prototype effort is aimed at developing, integrating, manufacturing, and eventually testing a HEL system(s) prototype in an operationally suitable environment.
The latest contract allows the rapid prototyping of a cost-effective HEL System(s). This HEL prototype will be integrated with existing military battle management systems (BMS).
Liteye’s SHIELD payload is capable of detecting, tracking, and identifying Group 1 & 2 drones on a battlefield.
The payload will use the new 3D SPYGLASS Radar. Liteye serves as the exclusive SPYGLASS Radar provider.
According to Liteye, a partner company will provide the HEL ‘hard kill’ capability. This capability will be combined with Liteye’s SHIELD payload for testing and demonstration during operational assessments.
Liteye Systems CEO and co-founder Kenneth Geyer said: “This effort represents more than 15 months of focused effort by our team and renews our strategic partnership with the US Army dating back to 2016 when we sent our first C-sUAS systems downrange.
“On behalf of the Liteye team, we thank the US Army for their trust in our systems and our team. We also thank our partners Numerica and Pratt & Miller along with a long list of other external stakeholders who played a part in bringing this contract to fruition.”
Liteye SHIELD platform integration will support the army’s manoeuvre capability in the Brigade Combat Teams (BCTs).
Liteye’s C-sUAS solutions can be covered with several effectors and BMSs to identify, track and defeat air-borne, surface and on-ground threats.
