{"data":{"id":1951,"lang":"en","title":"AeroVironment Wins $500 Million Pentagon Contract for Counter-Drone Defense","summary":"The Pentagon awarded AeroVironment a $500 million, multi-year contract to supply counter-drone defense systems to the U.S. Army.","category":"business","category_label":"Business","published_at":"2026-07-05T14:02:17Z","updated_at":"2026-07-05T14:02:17Z","url":"https://techtools.cz/tools/news/article/1951-aerovironment-wins-500-million-pentagon-contract-for-counter-drone-defense","api_url":"https://techtools.cz/news-api/v1/articles/1951?lang=en","markdown_url":"https://techtools.cz/news-api/v1/articles/1951.md?lang=en","image_url":"https://defensescoop.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2022/06/GettyImages-1292193197-3-e1656518234555.jpg","word_count":127,"reading_time_minutes":1,"sources":[{"url":"https://defensescoop.com/2026/07/02/pentagon-awards-500m-contract-aerovironment-counter-drone-technology/","domain":"defensescoop.com"},{"url":"https://www.armyrecognition.com/news/army-news/2026/u-s-army-awards-aerovironment-500m-contract-for-layered-counter-drone-defense-systems","domain":"armyrecognition.com"}],"translation":{"lang":"cs","id":2024,"title":"AeroVironment získal od Pentagonu zakázku za 500 milionů dolarů na obranu proti dronům","url":"https://techtools.cz/tools/news/clanek/2024-aerovironment-ziskal-od-pentagonu-zakazku-za-500-milionu-dolaru-na-obranu-proti","api_url":"https://techtools.cz/news-api/v1/articles/2024?lang=cs"},"content":"The U.S. Army awarded AeroVironment a $500 million contract to supply commercial counter-drone technology, the Pentagon confirmed. The deal, managed by Army Contracting Command at Detroit Arsenal, Michigan, runs through mid-2029 and covers systems to detect, track, and defeat hostile drones ranging from small commercial quadcopters to larger unmanned aircraft.\n\nAeroVironment's arsenal includes its Switchblade loitering munitions and the LOCUST directed-energy laser system. CEO Wahid Nawabi said LOCUST's cost-per-shot can be as low as $3, compared to the millions it costs to fire a traditional interceptor at a single drone.\n\nThe award follows a strong quarter for AeroVironment, whose stock jumped nearly 19% after record earnings. The Pentagon's counter-drone task force, JIATF 401, has increasingly funded such technology as cheap commercial drones become a growing battlefield threat."}}