Lockheed Martin has destroyed a Shahed-type attack drone target using a Lockheed drone weapon system during a live-fire test at Arizona’s Yuma Proving Ground.
The US defence contractor used a Joint Air-to-Ground Missile launched from its containerised Grizzly launcher, Axios first reported.
The target drone replicated the features of Iran’s widely used Shahed-type unmanned aerial vehicles.
Lockheed Martin said the test combined several systems. Its AI-enabled Sanctum counter-drone platform acted as the battle manager, while Fortem Technologies’ R40 radars tracked the target.
The company said it assembled and deployed the full system in less than 45 days. It developed the Grizzly launcher in six months for land- and sea-based operations.
Read: US and Allies Rush to Develop Copies of Iran’s Deadly Shahed Drones
Dan Tenney, Senior Vice President for Global Business Development and Strategy at Lockheed Martin, told Axios the company can produce and field such systems at scale after successful demonstrations.
Tenney said the US military continues to seek efficient and lower-cost air defence tools. He said the system could reduce the “cost per kill” by using a relatively low-cost missile with proven tracking and engagement capability.
Lockheed Martin has invested $25 million in Fortem Technologies. The companies have also partnered on drone-detection systems for critical infrastructure.
