Brig. Gen. Frank Lozano: Army to Further Develop Short-Range Anti-Drone System

The U.S. Army has launched a development program for the next-generation maneuver short-range air defense system against drones and other airborne threats, the first iteration of which has been fielded, said Brig. Gen. Frank Lozano, U.S. Army program executive officer for missiles and space. 

According to Lozano, a past Potomac Officers Club event speaker, rapid prototyping for the succeeding Directed Energy M-SHORAD versions is underway through the Middle Tier Acquisition authority. He disclosed that the initiative intends to tap two vendors for a two-year development onward to a potentially more intense three-year project, DefenseScoop reported. 

The Army’s industry partners in the Interim M-SHORAD system development include General Dynamics Land Systems and Leonardo DRS. The service plans to build between 312 and 361 of the M-SHORAD’s first version, depending on future needs, Lozano said.

Renamed SGT Stout to honor an air defense artilleryman killed in action during the Vietnam War, the initial M-SHORAD system provided maneuverability, mobility and protection advantages upon its integration with the service’s Stryker combat vehicles on the battlefield, the Army official noted. The system’s features include a built-in radar and a 20-millimeter chain gun for warfighters’ air defense and M-SHORAD self-protection. 

Lozano led the system’s renaming ceremonies as part of the Army’s 129th anniversary celebrations near Fort Belvoir, Virginia, on Saturday.