U.S. Army selects AeroVironment FE-1 Next-Generation Counter-UAS to counter drone swarms.

AeroVironment says the U.S. Army selected its Freedom Eagle FE-1 as the Next-Generation Counter-UAS Missile under a 95.9 million award in the Long-Range Kinetic Interceptor program. The move adds a lower-cost interceptor to layered air defense, aimed at rapidly fielding mass against Group 2 and Group 3 drones.

AeroVironment has been selected to deliver the Army’s Next-Generation Counter-UAS Missile and will start producing the Freedom Eagle FE-1 under a 95.9 million contract tied to the service’s Long-Range Kinetic Interceptor effort, according to company statements and trade briefings on October 22, 2025. The award was made through the Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Aviation and Missile Center using the Aviation and Missile Technology Consortium vehicle, a path the Army has used to speed prototyping and initial fielding for priority C-UAS capabilities.
Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link

The FE-1 is described as a low-cost, high-performance solution against Group 2 and Group 3 UAS, with residual capability against Group 1, as well as, under certain conditions, fixed-wing or rotary-wing aircraft. (Picture source: BlueHalo)

The U.S. Army’s choice confirms the trajectory set since 2024 around the Freedom Eagle family and designates AeroVironment as prime contractor for the NGCM after a competition centered on industrial responsiveness and unit cost. According to Defense Daily, the budget target sought by the Army is 200,000 dollars or less per missile to enable large-scale attrition against swarms and unmanned aircraft larger than micro-UAS. This cost constraint is now as structuring as lethality, given the consumption rates observed in operations.

The FE-1 is described as a low-cost, high-performance solution against Group 2 and Group 3 UAS, with residual capability against Group 1, as well as, under certain conditions, fixed-wing or rotary-wing aircraft. The system uses a dual-thrust solid-rocket motor optimized for rapid interception profiles from launch. Controlled test vehicle firings at Yuma Proving Ground, combined with warhead tests, validate propulsion maturity and reduce technical risk ahead of fielding.

Iterations in 2025 show progressive integration of the missile into existing air-defense architecture, with emphasis on C2 compatibility and reduced SWaP constraints. The modular design of the FE-1, including its software front end, allows pairing with other motors to increase range and maneuverability while remaining interoperable with command networks and land launchers. This approach eases alignment with elements such as FAAD C2, a Sentinel-type surveillance radar, and a fire-control chain adapted to short-range engagements without multiplying logistics lines.

On production, AeroVironment indicates an accelerated ramp-up to supply initial units rapidly. Award via the CCDC Aviation and Missile Center through the AMTC consortium enables contracting at a more agile pace for priority capabilities. This arrangement shortens the feedback loop between trials, design updates, and pre-series lots, aiming to prepare full-rate production once the first batches are validated.

The FE-1 fits into a layered defense that combines ground, spectral, and RF sensors with kinetic and non-kinetic effects. Its employment envelope is designed to engage Group 2/3 threats at short to medium depth, where anti-air artillery and RF or EW means can be saturated or degraded by adverse EMCON. The interceptor is intended to reduce engagement timelines, close blind spots in existing SHORAD systems, and preserve stocks of higher-end effects intended for harder targets. In practice, updating the COP or RMP through distributed sensors, data-linking to local C2, and dynamic shooter assignment support the defeat of one-way attack drones or MALE platforms operating at medium altitude, while retaining an opportunistic shot against slow aircraft. The aim is to restore a favorable cost-exchange against volume attacks.

This announcement aligns with public trials conducted since 2024, including in-flight demonstrations and propulsion testing reported on several occasions. The NGCM program is designed to deliver a kinetic building block that is simple to produce and suited to mass consumption profiles seen in recent theaters. Early reports from Yuma indicate execution in line with the plan, with multiple CTV firings and nominal performance, reinforcing the plausibility of a near-term industrial transition.

At the industrial level, the option chosen by the U.S. Army supports the American air-defense ecosystem and strengthens the defense industrial and technological base on the interceptor segment against UAS. AeroVironment’s offer sits alongside its non-kinetic C-UAS portfolio and loitering munitions, with potential offset effects across production lines and shared components. The open-architecture and interoperability logic facilitates insertion with allied assets and future sensors without heavy lock-in.

The decision reflects experience accumulated in Ukraine, the Levant, and the Red Sea, where long-range, low-cost drone attacks saturate defenses. By equipping its forces with an affordable interceptor produced at a sustained cadence, Washington seeks to address a volume gap while relieving pressure on more expensive SAM inventories. For export, a credible NGCM option resets competition in NATO and partner markets against offerings from Israel and Türkiye. The ramp-up of these capabilities, if confirmed by the first units, will influence swarm dynamics and the economics of air defense, with follow-on effects on C2 standardization and collaborative fire control.