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Anduril Industries Secures Huge Contract with US Army for Air Defense Systems.
Anduril Industries has been awarded a significant contract valued at $249,978,466 by the Department of Defense to bolster air defense capabilities within U.S. military services. This contract will facilitate the delivery of over 500 Roadrunner-M units, alongside Pulsar electronic warfare systems, to counter the growing threat of unmanned aerial systems (UAS) targeting U.S. forces.
The Roadrunner-M alongside Pulsar electronic warfare systems. (Picture source: Anduril)
Deliveries under this contract are scheduled to begin in the fourth quarter of 2024 and continue through the end of 2025.
The Roadrunner system, an explosive vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) interceptor introduced last year, is designed to intercept and neutralize large UAS threats with unmatched speed, agility, and cost-efficiency. Combined with Anduril’s Pulsar range of artificial intelligence-based electronic warfare solutions, this next-generation defense capability is expected to be deployed in strategically prioritized areas where U.S. forces face significant UAS threats, thereby strengthening air defense at critical operational sites.
Roadrunner has been under combat evaluation since January 2024, while Pulsar has been operational in several regions since August 2023. This new contract underscores Anduril’s commitment to self-funding its research and development, aimed at accelerating defense innovation and delivering adaptable, scalable solutions to protect U.S. personnel. The rapid development of Roadrunner, validated in combat and ready for deployment in under two years, marks a reduction compared to the usual timelines for defense contractors. As the first-ever recoverable explosive weapon, Roadrunner embodies the advanced capabilities essential for countering increasingly complex threats.
Since the public launch of its Roadrunner and Pulsar systems, Anduril Industries has secured nearly $350 million in contracts to provide sophisticated air defense solutions to various branches of the U.S. Department of Defense. These contracts cover operational deployments, system validation testing, experimentation, and integration with existing defense systems, ensuring seamless performance across the services.
Anduril Industries is an American company specializing in advanced defense technologies, founded in 2017 by Palmer Luckey, also the creator of Oculus Rift. It stands out for its innovative approach to artificial intelligence (AI) and automation, providing security and defense solutions particularly focused on threat detection and neutralization, as exemplified here with the Roadrunner and Pulsar range. Anduril designs autonomous systems, including drones, sensors, and electronic warfare systems, integrated into its Lattice AI software platform, enabling automated surveillance and defense. Its solutions are primarily intended for U.S. security and military forces, with a strong focus on innovation and a model based on the rapid deployment of cutting-edge technologies.