Very Low-Cost Kinetic Defeat for C-sUAS

The Department of the Air Force is soliciting innovative kinetic counter-unmanned aircraft system solutions under solicitation DAF26BX04-DP025, targeting rapid transition to the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center’s Energy Systems division and the Joint Interagency Task Force 401. The focus is on developing highly dispersible, survivable, and scalable interceptors capable of neutralizing Group 1-3 small unmanned aerial systems at a cost under six thousand dollars per engagement while maintaining an effective range of at least eight hundred meters. Systems must be designed for autonomous fire-and-forget operation with no post-launch user input required, and must function reliably in contested, GPS-denied environments. The capability to conduct simultaneous multiple engagements is essential, and integration into existing C-sUAS command and control architectures—including platforms like Medusa—is strongly encouraged. Financial sustainability is a primary driver, aiming to replace expensive interceptors with affordable alternatives to counter mass and swarm tactics effectively. Performance is expected to align with low-collateral operational needs though not mandated, and all proposed solutions must originate from small businesses with fewer than five hundred employees under a total small business set-aside. Proposals are due by July 22, 2026, with a submission window opening on July 1, 2026.