US SME, army partner to advance C-UAS tech

A US-based SME has entered into an agreement to build a maturity roadmap for its counter-UAS (C-UAS) technology with the US Army’s lead armaments R&D organisation.  

The agreement, between ARCYN Defense and the US Army Combat Capabilities Development Command (DEVCOM) Armaments Center, was announced on 8 June by the SME. It will provide a “structured pathway” to assess and develop ARCYN’s Iron Rain C-UAS technology in alignment with US Government requirements.  

Iron Rain is a kinetic effector layer designed to detect, track, and defeat aerial threats. Speaking to DSEI Gateway, Aaron Poynton, CEO of ARCYN, said that the technology can fit “within a broader air defence architecture”.  

The development process for Iron Rain will include “technical exchange, capability assessments, periodic reviews, [and] integration planning” between ARCYN and the US Army.  

Poynton added that, alongside collaborating with army subject matter experts, the agreement with the DEVCOM Armaments Center will also help to ensure the technology is “developed with real operational requirements in mind.” 

C-UAS capabilities for the US

According to Poynton, Iron Rain is intended to “help address the growing challenge of drones operating at scale”.  

With UASs accounting for an estimated 80% of all casualties in the Ukrainian conflict, according to the Royal United Services Institute for Defence and Security Studies think tank, militaries across the globe are investing in counter-drone measures.  

Poynton added that the Iron Rain capability would be of particular use in contested environments where electronic warfare, jamming, directed energy, or interceptor-based solutions may not be sufficient on their own.  

While the new agreement supports research activities into Iron Rain, ARCYN highlights, it does not represent a commitment for procurement from the US.