HAWTHORNE, Calif. — The U.S. Army has awarded California-based ThinKom Solutions an Other Transaction Agreement (OTA) to deliver and test its Alecto high-power microwave system as a mobile counter-uncrewed aircraft system (C-UAS) effector.
The prototype agreement has a $49 million ceiling. Initial funding covers one of four prototypes requested by the Army's Program Manager for Advanced Counter-Unmanned Aircraft System Effects (PM ACE), along with field testing planned for 2027.
ThinKom will integrate Alecto with government-designated sensors, fire-control capabilities and a mobile platform. The Army will use the prototype effort to evaluate high-power microwave technology as a non-kinetic option for countering emerging UAS threats.
Related: Lockheed Martin demonstrates C-UAS sensing using existing 5G infrastructure
High-power microwaves offer another approach to C-UAS
Counter-UAS systems have to contend with increasingly inexpensive drones that can appear individually or in larger numbers. That can make the cost and capacity of each engagement important, especially when defenders have to respond to multiple aircraft.
High-power microwave systems approach the problem electronically rather than relying on a conventional projectile or interceptor. They direct electromagnetic energy toward a target to disrupt or damage electronic systems.
ThinKom is positioning Alecto as a mobile effector for Group 1 and Group 2 UAS threats. The company says the system can operate while moving, allowing Army units to use it without relying on a fixed installation.
Dan Roman, ThinKom vice president for electronic warfare and high-power microwave programs, said the company designed Alecto to provide a high-capacity counter-UAS option with a low cost per engagement.
Alecto uses ThinKom's VICTS antenna technology
At the center of Alecto is ThinKom's Variable Inclination Continuous Transverse Stub (VICTS) antenna technology. The company has previously applied the architecture to satellite communications and other RF systems and is now using it to support the high-power microwave effector.
For the Army prototype, Alecto will operate as part of a larger C-UAS architecture rather than as a standalone system. Government-designated sensors will provide information about potential threats, while fire-control capabilities will support the engagement process.
That integration will give the Army an opportunity to evaluate how the microwave effector works alongside the sensing and control systems needed to find, track and respond to drones in the field.
Army plans field testing in 2027
The government will lead integration, testing and evaluation of the prototype. The Army plans to use those results to inform future decisions about the technology and its potential role in counter-UAS operations.
The agreement does not represent a production decision or commit the Army to purchasing a specific number of Alecto systems. Instead, the OTA gives the service a path to look at the technology before deciding whether to move forward with a larger acquisition.
PM ACE falls under Portfolio Acquisition Executive Fires at Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, which manages offensive, defensive and integrated fires capabilities for the Army.
