Breaking News: U.S. SRC Company To Deliver $1 billion of advanced counter-drone systems to Qatar.

According to information published by SRC Inc. on June 23, 2025, the United States has approved the delivery of the U.S. Army’s Fixed Site–Low, Slow, Small Unmanned Aircraft System Integrated Defeat System (FS-LIDS) to Qatar under a landmark $1 billion Foreign Military Sales agreement. This marks the first time the LIDS platform, developed by the not-for-profit U.S. defense firm SRC Inc., will be exported internationally. The agreement underscores both the intensifying defense relationship between the United States and Qatar and the rising urgency of counter-drone capabilities amid evolving regional security threats.
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The SRC FS-LIDS is a modular counter-drone system developed for the U.S. Army to detect, track, identify, and defeat small unmanned aircraft systems using integrated radar, electro-optical sensors, electronic warfare tools, and kinetic interceptors like the Coyote drone. Designed for fixed-site defense, FS-LIDS delivers layered protection against low, slow, and small aerial threats. (Picture source: SRC)

U.S. Company SRC Inc., based in Syracuse, New York, is a not-for-profit research and development organization that has served U.S. national defense and intelligence communities for more than six decades. The company specializes in advanced radar, electronic warfare, and counter-UAS technologies, offering innovative solutions to emerging threats. With a legacy of supporting mission-critical military programs, SRC operates at the intersection of cutting-edge science and national security, providing technologies that empower warfighters and safeguard military and civilian infrastructure against modern threats. SRC's engineering teams have played a pivotal role in developing integrated multi-domain defense systems, with the LIDS program standing as one of its most strategically relevant achievements.

SRC’s FS-LIDS system is a modular, scalable, and rapidly deployable solution engineered to detect, track, identify, and neutralize small unmanned aircraft systems. As drone warfare expands, with adversaries increasingly leveraging low-cost, commercially available drones to conduct reconnaissance and execute attacks, LIDS provides a robust response capability. The system integrates multiple sensors and effectors, including the AN/TPQ-50 radar, EO/IR surveillance systems, and Raytheon’s Ku-band Radio Frequency System (KuRFS). It also employs Coyote Block 2 interceptors, offering both non-kinetic and kinetic options for threat defeat. Designed for fixed-site protection, LIDS delivers layered defense against Group 1 to Group 3 UAS threats with minimal collateral risk, protecting high-value infrastructure and forward operating bases.

This capability arrives at a critical juncture for Qatar. On June 23, 2025, Iran launched a missile barrage targeting Al Udeid Air Base, the largest U.S. military installation in the Middle East. While U.S. and allied air defense systems intercepted the attack without reported casualties, the event highlighted the rising threat from missile and drone attacks in the Gulf region. Qatar’s investment in advanced counter-UAS and integrated air defense systems reflects a strategic shift toward proactive threat neutralization, particularly as UAS attacks by state and non-state actors become more frequent and sophisticated.

The sale of LIDS to Qatar is part of a broader U.S.-Qatari defense cooperation framework that has accelerated in 2025. In May, Qatar signed a $42 billion defense agreement with the United States, which includes the acquisition of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system to enhance long-range missile defense. Earlier in March, the U.S. approved a $1.96 billion sale of MQ-9B SeaGuardian drones, further bolstering Qatar’s intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance capabilities.

The delivery of LIDS represents a major leap in Qatar’s ability to counter drone threats with American-designed electronic warfare and airspace monitoring technologies. As the Gulf state becomes a regional hub for multinational military operations and hosts critical energy infrastructure, the need for persistent and adaptive air defense is increasingly urgent. LIDS not only protects strategic assets but also provides operational commanders with real-time awareness and response options tailored to low-altitude, low-speed threats that traditional air defense systems often struggle to intercept.

This foreign military sale cements SRC’s position as a leader in C-UAS solutions and reflects growing international demand for proven U.S. systems amid an unpredictable security environment. For Qatar, LIDS forms a critical layer in its emerging multi-tiered defense architecture, aligning its defense posture with modern battlefield demands and securing its sovereignty in a volatile region.