The New Drone Threat Demands a New Defense

A small quadcopter appears over the tree line.

Moments later, another drone emerges from offshore. A swarm begins approaching critical infrastructure while operators sort through hundreds of sensor feeds, trying to determine which tracks are real, which pose the greatest threat and how to respond before it's too late.

This is the reality of today's drone threat -and why drone swarm defense has become essential. Drone swarm defense coordinates sensors, effects and command and control to detect, identify and defeat multiple drones moving cooperatively.

The Current State of Drone Swarm Defense

Unmanned systems are becoming smaller, cheaper and more autonomous. They can launch from land, air or sea. They can operate alone or in coordinated swarms.

No single sensor. No single interceptor. No single platform can keep pace.

Counter-Unmanned Aircraft Systems (C-UAS) detect multiple drones by fusing radar, electro-optical/infrared, and radio frequency sensors, correlating tracks to filter clutter and prevent decoys from overwhelming the picture.

They require an integrated approach that connects sensors, command and control networks, and layered effects into one mission-ready architecture. The better those pieces work together, the faster operators can detect, identify, decide and defeat emerging threats.

Maritime Defense

Protecting ships, ports and maritime infrastructure requires the ability to detect and defeat aerial threats while operating in dynamic environments.

Lockheed Martin's launcher portfolio is designed to scale with the mission. Today, the JAGM Dual Launcher (JDL) has been demonstrated aboard an autonomous Saildrone Surveyor, extending counter-UAS capability.

The Joint-Air-to-Ground Missile (JAGM) the replacement for its predecessors, Longbow and HELLFIRE, is in production and operational today. JAGM has a demonstrated and proven track record against various UAS threats, including Group 3 UAS threats, when launched from various platforms.

As larger autonomous vessels become available, they could integrate the larger JAGM Quad Launcher (JQL). When vertically launched, JAGM provides 360-degree protection around defended locations, enabling operators to quickly engage threats from any direction with a fire-and-forget capability.

These launchers integrate with command and control, sensors, and effectors extending C-UAS capability across the maritime battlespace and enabling operators to engage threats farther from the assets they protect while reducing risk to personnel.

Ground Defense

Defending maneuver forces and fixed installations demands speed, precision and flexibility.

The combination of GRIZZLY™, JAGM and Sanctum™ delivers a layered ground-based defense capable of detecting, tracking and defeating unmanned aircraft before they threaten the mission. Whether protecting expeditionary forces or critical infrastructure, the system is designed to adapt as operational requirements evolve.

CommandIQ™ integrated with SkyKeeper, Lockheed Martin's in-service and operationally proven, Command and Control system, further strengthens Ground Based Air Defense by providing operators with the situational awareness needed to identify, classify and track unmanned aircraft. Together, they create a common operational picture that enables faster, more informed engagement decisions across the battlefield providing a baseline Command and Control network for Integrated Air and Missile Defense.

AI-Enabled Mission Integration

Modern drone attacks rarely present a single target. Operators increasingly face multiple threats arriving simultaneously from different directions and domains.

Sanctum helps reduce that complexity by rapidly identifying, prioritizing and coordinating responses against evolving drone threats. By combining AI-enabled software with integrated command and control, operators can manage larger volumes of information, reduce cognitive workload and respond with greater speed while keeping humans firmly in control of mission decisions.

MORFIUS™ neutralizes more than 50 enemy drones in a single flight. By using high-power microwave technology, MORFIUS is a low cost-per-kill solution to the C-UAS threat. With the ability to use any command-and-control system, integration comes naturally.

Integration in Every Domain

Countering unmanned systems is no longer about building the best individual interceptor or sensor. Success depends on how quickly every part of the system works together.

Lockheed Martin integrates proven sensors, AI-enabled software, command and control and precision effects into a flexible counter-UAS ecosystem that spans land, sea and autonomous platforms. Built on open architectures, these systems allow customers to incorporate existing capabilities, add new technologies as threats evolve and scale solutions from protecting a single installation to defending distributed forces across multiple domains.

The drone threat will continue to evolve. An integrated defense must evolve with it.

By combining decades of systems integration expertise with mission-proven technologies, Lockheed Martin delivers end-to-end counter-UAS capabilities that help customers detect sooner, decide faster and defeat threats before they can disrupt the mission.