The U.S. military has selected the Titan-MS counter-drone system under an $80.5 million award to strengthen defenses against small unmanned aircraft at Air Force installations. Joint Interagency Task Force 401 (JIATF-401) made the selection through the Department of War’s Domestic Shield program using a previously announced $500 million Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract for counter-drone technology.
The purchase reflects a broader effort to improve protection at military bases as unauthorized drone activity becomes more common. It also moves another operational system from testing into wider deployment across high-priority defense sites. The system can monitor more than 500 drones at once, while its radar reaches as far as 37 miles under certain configurations.
AI tackles drone threats
Titan-MS relies on artificial intelligence to fuse data from multiple sensors into a single operating picture. The software can recognize hostile drones and follow their movements to help operators respond before they threaten protected facilities. It also addresses autonomous aircraft that no longer depend on traditional radio links.
Military officials will receive Titan-MS systems together with supporting equipment designed to strengthen base protection. The package expands the Air Force’s layered defenses against small unmanned aircraft.
Col. Jason Idleman, chief of the multi-domain operations division at JIATF-401, said the investment gives operators more effective tools against illicit drones. He said the capability will help warfighters respond to a threat that continues to change at a rapid pace.
Domestic Shield directs counter-drone resources to locations facing the greatest operational risk. JIATF-401 works with the military services and government partners to identify requirements before sending new capabilities into the field.
Designed for evolving missions
The latest award follows an earlier Titan procurement by JIATF-401, indicating continued confidence in the platform. Titan-MS belongs to a modular family of counter-drone systems that can support fixed installations as well as mobile operations.
Unlike many conventional air defense systems, Titan-MS focuses on small drones that are difficult to detect with legacy equipment. Engineers built the platform around a software-defined architecture, allowing updates to reach deployed systems as new threats emerge.
Wahid Nawabi, AeroVironment’s chairman, president, and chief executive officer, said counter-drone capability has become an operational necessity. He said customers increasingly favor equipment that has already demonstrated its performance under real-world conditions and can reach the field without lengthy integration work.
Fleet continues to grow
Titan systems now support several U.S. government programs and remain in service with international customers. AeroVironment delivered 118 Titan 4 units during the latest quarter. The company also shipped another 400 Titan-SV systems. Titan platforms now operate in 17 countries, including three customers that adopted the technology during the quarter.
Trace Stevenson, president of Autonomous Systems at AeroVironment, said operational feedback continues to shape software updates across the Titan family. He said the development team uses those lessons to keep pace with emerging drone threats.
Titan4 entered the lineup in 2025 as a more portable version of the system. Operators can have it running in less than five minutes. The redesign reduced both size and weight while increasing transmit power, giving military units greater flexibility during deployments.