Echodyne Named as Radar System for Trust Automation’s $490M Air Force Counter-UAS Engineering Contract
AI Analysis
Echodyne's EchoShield radar has been selected as the primary sensor for Trust Automation's $490 million U.S. Air Force IDIQ contract to deliver Small-Unmanned Air Defense System (SUADS) platforms. The COTS radar will integrate into three SOSA-compliant variants—rapidly deployable, fixed-site, and expeditionary—providing medium-range detection, AI-driven classification, and precision tracking to cue kinetic effectors against drone threats.
Key Takeaways
- Echodyne EchoShield radar named primary sensor for Trust Automation's $490M Air Force SUADS Counter-UAS IDIQ contract.
- Three platform variants: RD-SUADS (palletized rapid deployment), FS-SUADS (fixed-site base defense), and EX-SUADS (expeditionary detection-only, man-portable).
- EchoShield is the first fully integrated SOSA-compliant radar solution in the platform, enabling open systems architecture interoperability.
- The COTS radar uses recursive neural network (RvNN) machine learning for advanced classification and precision tracking of all drone types.
- System designed to generate actionable data to slew optics, cue kinetic effectors, and accelerate reaction times against small UAS threats.
Why It Matters
The selection of a SOSA-compliant, AI-enhanced COTS radar for a major Air Force C-UAS program signals a shift toward modular, rapidly deployable base defense solutions against evolving sUAS threats. By standardizing on open architecture across fixed, expeditionary, and palletized variants, the Air Force gains logistical flexibility and faster integration of future upgrades. The emphasis on high-fidelity radar data for kinetic engagements reflects the growing demand for reliable precision targeting to defeat fast, maneuverable drones.
Echodyne Named as Radar System for Trust Automation’s $490M Air Force Counter-UAS Engineering Contract
Echodyne Named as Radar System for Trust Automation’s $490M Air Force Counter-UAS Engineering Contract
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EchoShield® radar integrated into Small-Unmanned Air Defense System (SUADS) to deliver on $490M Air Force IDIQ
KIRKLAND, Wash.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Echodyne, the radar platform company, today announces its inclusion as a primary radar system within Trust Automation’s Small-Unmanned Air Defense System (SUADS) Counter-UAS platform, to be delivered to the U.S. Air Force under a $490M IDIQ contract announced in August 2025.
Rapidly Deployable Small-Unmanned Air Defense System (RD-SUADS), Fixed Site Small-Unmanned Air Defense System (FS-SUADS), and Expeditionary Small-Unmanned Air Defense System (EX-SUADS) platforms adhere to the Sensor Open Systems Architecture (SOSA) standard with EchoShield radars being the first fully integrated SOSA solution in the platform. The RD-SUADS platform is a self-contained, self-powered C-UAS system fitted to standard pallet sizes for easy transport via military aircraft, while the FS-SUADS is for deployment at permanent military installations and can be integrated as a group or standalone for diverse redundant base protection and 360-degree security. The EX-SUADS detection only system is designed for checked baggage transportation and sized to fit with cases in larger SUV vehicles.
EchoShield is the market-leading medium range radar that reliably and consistently generates precise location data for all drone types and configurations. A commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) radar system, EchoShield’s industry standard interfaces and rich data options create a baseline data set that more accurately slews optical sensors, cues effector options, and accelerates reaction time. Boasting advanced classification capabilities built on recursive neural network (RvNN) machine learning models, EchoShield tracks all movement and pinpoints system and operator attention where and when it matters.
“It is becoming more and more evident that the fidelity of radar data, its accuracy in all data dimensions, is a critical attribute of any radar system,” said Eben Frankenberg, CEO at Echodyne. “The new table stakes for every defensive system is actionable data at the range of reaction and with the precision to consistently direct kinetic effectors onto fast, nimble, UAS threats.”
“Integrating Echodyne’s advanced radar into our RD-SUADS, FS-SUADS, and EX-SUADS systems enhances both detection range and accuracy, enabling operators to identify threats sooner and respond with greater confidence,” said Ty Safreno, CEO at Trust Automation, Inc. “These systems provide agile, comprehensive C-sUAS cap