#OCTOBER2025 NEWSWIRE

RTX Awarded $5.04B LIDS Modernization Contract

The U.S. Department of Defense announced the largest counter-UAS contract award in history: a $5.04 billion programme to modernize and expand the Layered Integrated Defense System (LIDS) across multiple military services. RTX will lead the effort, with integration partners including Leonardo DRS and other approved subcontractors.

The contract spans 10 years and covers software modernization, sensor integration, C2 architecture updates, and fielding of next-generation capabilities including expanded Coyote variants, KuRFS radar improvements, and integration of AI-assisted threat evaluation. The award signals DoD confidence in the LIDS architecture as the foundation for U.S. military counter-UAS operations through the 2030s.

Analysts note that the contract effectively locks RTX into the military counter-UAS market for a decade, while simultaneously creating substantial procurement barriers for competing vendors. The contract does not include commercial or civilian airport applications, consistent with DoD policy restricting kinetic counter-UAS to military installations.

AeroVironment Awarded $874M IDIQ for Tactical C-UAS

AeroVironment secured a five-year Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract worth $874 million for tactical counter-UAS systems. The contract covers supply of Switchblade loitering munitions, Puma reconnaissance systems configured for C-UAS roles, and integration services with tactical-level command and control.

The IDIQ structure allows rapid ordering by field commanders without formal reproccurement, ideal for rapidly evolving tactical threats. Early execution of the contract saw orders from Pacific Command and Central Command, with field testing beginning in September at Fort Liberty and Nellis AFB.

AeroVironment's focus on tactical, near-peer adversary counter-UAS distinguishes the company from LIDS-focused competitors. The Switchblade family is designed for dismounted operations and rapid deployment in contested environments—a capability gap that LIDS, optimized for fixed installations, does not address.

Leonardo DRS Wins Ring C-UxS Competition

Leonardo DRS announced victory in a competitive DoD ring-knock tournament evaluating counter-UAS systems for rapid deployment to forward-positioned units. The Ring C-UxS (Counter-Unmanned Systems) programme emphasizes speed, ease of deployment, and integration-agnostic architecture.

Leonardo DRS's winning entry combined a Dedrone RF sensor suite (through a commercial partnership) with Leonardo's own electro-optical targeting systems and a software-defined command layer. The solution emphasizes detection and identification without mandating specific engagement platforms, allowing customers to integrate their own chosen mitigation layer.

The win is significant for two reasons. First, it demonstrates that competitive pressure is forcing even larger defence primes to adopt more modular, less vertically integrated approaches. Second, it validates the pure-play detection-first strategy: in a rapid-deployment context, sensing and identification are sufficient; engagement platform flexibility is valued over integrated turnkey solutions.

Anduril Completes Delivery to NORTHCOM, Demonstrates at Falcon Peak 25.2

Anduril Industries delivered its first production C-UAS kits to U.S. Northern Command (NORTHCOM) in late September, with full operational deployment beginning in October. The kits include Gremlin RF detection and identification sensors, a local command and control node, and integration bridges to NORTHCOM's existing air defence architecture.

In October, Anduril demonstrated counter-UAS capabilities at Falcon Peak 25.2, a classified NORTHCOM exercise held at Minot Air Force Base (ND). The exercise featured over 100 hostile drone targets of varying sophistication, testing Anduril's detection, identification, and mitigation recommendations against a realistic threat picture.

Official results remain classified, but initial reports indicate successful detection and tracking of 97+ targets with false alarm rates below 2%. Notably, the exercise emphasized non-kinetic defeat strategies—electronic countermeasures, targeting data for engagement platform cueing, and drone-aircraft routing disruption—rather than kinetic engagement.

The success signals that Anduril's approach—purpose-built detection and integration rather than engagement platform ownership—is gaining traction with large military customers. NORTHCOM's adoption suggests scaling potential beyond technology demonstration.

RTX Demonstrates Coyote Block 3NK Recovery System

RTX conducted a series of demonstrations of the Coyote Block 3NK non-kinetic, recoverable variant in October at Nellis AFB. The system uses adhesive and netting mechanisms to capture small unmanned aircraft intact, enabling intact recovery for forensics, technical intelligence, and operator attribution.

Demonstrations targeted a variety of small drones (commercial quadcopters, custom-built platforms, and representative near-peer UAS designs). Recovery success rates exceeded 85%, with target platforms recovered intact and with minimal damage to optics, electronics, or communication systems.

Block 3NK represents a significant capability expansion for RTX's Coyote family. The ability to recover and analyze adversarial UAS opens intelligence pathways that kinetic-only competitors cannot access. However, Block 3NK remains more complex and expensive than Block 2, limiting its use to high-value targets where forensics justifies the cost.

Munich Airport Closure Due to Drone Incursion

Munich Airport (MUC), Europe's third-busiest hub, suspended operations for 4 hours on October 17 following reports of unmanned aircraft in the terminal control area. All takeoffs and landings were halted from 1445 to 1845 local time, affecting 340+ flights and stranding approximately 60,000 passengers.

No hostile intent was established, and no confirmed engagement occurred. However, the incident triggered mandatory operational suspension under German aviation regulations. Airport authorities activated Dedrone RF detection systems and visual surveillance, but the source and operator of the reported drones were not definitively identified.

Post-incident analysis revealed significant gaps in airport C-UAS readiness. Ground-based detection coverage was incomplete, low-altitude surveillance had no documented procedures, and escalation pathways from airport authorities to air traffic control to civil authorities were unclear.

Brussels, Liège, Riga, Sofia, and Alicante-Elche Airports Report October Incidents

A pattern of drone incursions at European airports intensified throughout October. Incidents included:

• Brussels Airport (BRU): Two reported incursions on October 8 and October 24, resulting in brief operational disruptions and police investigation.
• Liège Airport (LGG): Three separate drone sightings in October, though no operational disruption occurred. Local authorities attributed sightings to recreational activity.
• Riga Airport (RIX): Single confirmed unmanned aircraft detection on October 11, classified as potential border surveillance rather than aviation threat.
• Sofia Airport (SOF): Reported drone activity on October 19, causing 90-minute operational disruption. No investigation results published.
• Alicante-Elche Airport (ALC): On October 31, a reported drone incursion in airspace adjacent to active runways triggered partial suspension of operations and police response.

Collectively, these incidents demonstrate a pattern of increasing frequency and geographic spread. October 2025 saw more European airport drone incidents than the entire year of 2024. Airport operators across the continent are mobilizing procurement efforts, but coordination remains fragmented by national regulations and conflicting C-UAS requirements.

Red Sands 2025: U.S.-Saudi Exercise Emphasizes Counter-UAS Integration

Red Sands 2025, a joint U.S.-Saudi Arabia multinational exercise conducted in October at Prince Sultan Air Base, emphasized integrated counter-UAS operations across air defence, electronic warfare, and force protection roles. The exercise was classified but unclassified reporting indicates participation of 2,000+ military personnel from five countries.

C-UAS was a focus area, with integration testing of U.S. LIDS architecture, Saudi air defence systems (Patriot and newer platforms), and emerging counter-UAS sensors. The exercise emphasized real-time information sharing, cross-platform integration, and rapid response to distributed drone threats.

Notably, Red Sands 2025 included scenarios involving both rogue-state (Iranian) unmanned systems and potential near-peer actors (Chinese platforms). This signals DoD concern about counter-UAS effectiveness against sophisticated threats, not just commercial drones.

Operation Return of the Condor: U.S. Border Patrol Deploys C-UAS

U.S. Customs and Border Protection launched Operation Return of the Condor, a counter-UAS initiative targeting cartel and transnational criminal organization (TCDO) drones operating along the U.S.-Mexico border. The operation deployed RTX LIDS sensors, commercial RF detection systems, and tactical engagement platforms to six locations along the southern border.

Initial results (October data) documented 47 detections of unmanned aircraft, 8 confirmed identifications as cartel operations, and 4 disruptions via electronic countermeasures. No kinetic engagement occurred. CBP emphasized that the operation's primary goal is disruption and attribution rather than destruction.

The initiative signals expanding counter-UAS deployment to domestic law enforcement, outside traditional military contexts. CBP's success with non-kinetic disruption validates the strategy of detection and attribution as alternatives to engagement.

Industry Trends and Outlook

October 2025 crystallized several structural trends in counter-UAS:

Military Lock-in: The $5.04B LIDS contract effectively prevents major programme disruption in military counter-UAS through 2035. Competing vendors will focus on tactical niches (AeroVironment), specialized capabilities (Anduril), or international markets (Kongsberg, Leonardo).

Modular Architecture Gains Traction: Demonstrations and competitive awards increasingly favor modular approaches (detection, identification, engagement platform decoupled) over integrated turnkey solutions. This benefits companies like Dedrone, Anduril, and pure-play sensor vendors.

Airport Pressure Mounting: The October incident pattern has triggered urgent procurement activity among European airport operators. This segment is now genuinely open: airports cannot tolerate military-class systems (cost, kinetic risk) and require purpose-built detection and low-false-alarm capability.

Non-Kinetic Capability Expansion: RTX's Block 3NK demonstration, Anduril's emphasis on electronic disruption, and Operation Return of the Condor's success with jamming validate non-kinetic approaches. Kinetic engagement remains important for military contexts, but alternatives are no longer marginal.

Commercial-Military Convergence: The October contract awards show that commercial technologies (Dedrone RF sensors, commercial drone platforms) are being integrated into military systems at rapid scale. The traditional distinction between military C-UAS and commercial C-UAS is eroding.

The October 2025 newswire reflects a market in transition: from niche military capability to enterprise-scale deployment across military, civilian, and commercial segments. Procurement pressure is intensifying, product velocity is accelerating, and competitive dynamics are shifting rapidly.

Related Reading

• Kongsberg
• RTX (Raytheon)
• The True Cost of Counter-UAS