Anduril wins $642M Marines counter-drone tech contract
U.S. Marine Corps photo by Ensign Drew
By
Ross Wilkers
The service branch wants to cover the entire kill chain and use signature disruption as its means for countering adversaries' unmanned aircraft.
Anduril has won a potential 10-year, $642.2 million contract to install and deliver systems at Marine Corps bases seeking to counter potentially threatening unmanned aircraft.
The service branch received 10 proposals for the Installation-Counter small Unmanned Aircraft Systems contract that also includes sustainment services, according to the Pentagon’s Friday awards digest.
Marine Corps officials set up the contract to acquire more capabilities for detecting, tracking, countering and defending their facilities, personnel and assets from small drones and other emerging threats.
Solicitation documents released in February 2024 outline the Marines’ desire to cover the entire kill chain and rely on non-kinetic means such as electromagnetic, acoustic or other signature disruptions to a small UAS’ flight path.
I-CSUAS’ capabilities are described in fiscal year 2025 budget documents as currently being provided on a leased, as-a-service basis and operating under an “urgent statement of need.” The Marines’ intent is to eventually transition I-CSUAS into a future program of record.
Delivery order number one for the contract will involve program management, system procurement, site survey, new equipment training, physical configuration audit and engineering services.