The systems will support Domestic Shield, a wider U.S. national security effort focused on unmanned aircraft threats. The programme is intended to protect American interests at home and abroad.
SkyValor is designed to find, track, identify and defeat hostile drones before they disrupt national security operations. CACI did not disclose the value or number of systems covered by the initial order.
“Warfighters need a decisive advantage against drone threats that are faster, more accessible, and harder to detect,” said John Mengucci, CACI President and Chief Executive Officer. The company said SkyValor provides longer warning times for personnel defending forces, borders and critical infrastructure.
“SkyValor delivers that advantage through long-range detection, precision defeat, and the ability to adapt as drone threats evolve, giving defenders the time and intelligence to stop threats before they put our forces, borders, and critical infrastructure at risk,” Mengucci said. “With successful operational evaluations complete, we are moving SkyValor into full-rate production to deliver mission-ready protection where it is needed most.”
SkyValor recently completed operational evaluations at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma. The U.S. joint interagency counter-drone task force assessed its ability to detect and defeat different small unmanned aircraft beyond visual range.
CACI said the system’s detection range can give operators minutes to respond. Many counter-drone systems with shorter detection ranges provide only seconds of warning, according to the company.
The U.S. task force approved SkyValor for deployment to critical sites following the evaluations. The wider contract allows the government to order CACI’s tactical counter-drone systems over three years.
The award follows a separate U.S. government contract covering four SkyValor units. That agreement was issued through a Commercial Solutions Opening procurement process.
CACI will also deliver a SkyValor variant integrated onto a heavy-duty truck. The mobile configuration combines advanced sensing and automated defeat functions, including capabilities against cellular-enabled drones.
