Initial funding covers one of four prototypes requested by PM ACE and will also support field testing planned for 2027 under the project. ThinKom will provide its Alecto high-power microwave effector for integration with government-designated sensors, fire-control capabilities and a mobile platform.
The prototype program will support the Army’s evaluation of non-kinetic, directed-energy technologies intended to address emerging unmanned aerial system threats. The system will undergo government-led integration, testing and evaluation, with the results set to inform future Army decisions on the capability.
“The rapid proliferation of unmanned aircraft systems is creating an urgent need for mobile and scalable counter-UAS capabilities,” said Dan Roman, ThinKom’s vice president for electronic warfare and high-power microwave programs. “Alecto, enabled by our patented VICTS antenna, is designed to give soldiers a high-capacity and low-cost per-engagement option that can fire while moving and protect against Group 1 and Group 2 drone threats.”
“We are proud to support the Army’s rapid-prototyping efforts and its work to deliver effective capabilities to soldiers,” Roman said. The agreement does not represent a production decision or a commitment by the Army to procure a specific quantity of systems.
Portfolio Acquisition Executive Fires, headquartered at Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, manages an integrated portfolio of offensive, defensive and integrated fires capabilities. The organization supports Army transformation and operational requirements.
ThinKom Solutions, based in Hawthorne, California, manufactures phased-array antenna systems for commercial, government and defense applications. Its Alecto system is a high-power microwave effector enabled by the company’s patented VICTS antenna.
