BAE Systems unveils MDACS 155mm cannon and high-power microwave for counter-swarm roles
BAE Systems revealed two counter-drone solutions at AUSA: a truck-mounted Multi-Domain Artillery Cannon System (MDACS) using a 155mm gun for air defense and ground strikes, and a high-power microwave system for mass drone swarms. The MDACS prototype was shown publicly for the first time. Both systems address the growing threat of coordinated drone attacks.
Why it matters: BAE is pitching 155mm howitzers as anti-aircraft guns—a return to 1940s logic that makes economic sense when drones cost $500 and Patriot intercepts cost $4 million.
Pentagon and BAE Systems sign framework for up to 25,000 APKWS laser-guidance kits annually over seven years
The U.S. Department of War and BAE Systems have agreed a framework contract allowing the purchase of up to 25,000 Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System guidance kits per year for as long as seven years, with capacity to scale to 35,000 kits. APKWS converts unguided 70 mm Hydra rockets into precision-guided munitions using a laser seeker mid-body section. The system has been fielded by the U.S. military and exported to more than 30 countries.
Why it matters: The seven-year horizon and upper capacity of 35,000 kits per year signal sustained demand for cheap precision fires — a doctrine shift visible across NATO after Ukraine demonstrated the cost-effectiveness of converting legacy munitions into guided weapons at scale.
United StatesBAE Systems Defense News →Defence Industry Europe →
BAE Systems awarded U.S. Space Force contract to develop compact jam-resistant satellite terminals
BAE Systems won a U.S. Space Force contract to design and demonstrate ultra-compact radio-frequency terminals for a space-based data layer that can operate amid jamming and radiation. No contract value was disclosed.
BAE SystemsUnited StatesU.S. Space Force EDR Magazine →Defence Industry Europe →
BAE Systems wins order for F-35 electronic warfare systems covering Lots 20–22
BAE Systems has received a contract from Lockheed Martin to produce AN/ASQ-239 electronic warfare suites for F-35 production Lots 20 through 22, plus retrofit kits for earlier aircraft. The AN/ASQ-239 provides the F-35 with radar warning, electronic support, and countermeasures capabilities integral to the aircraft's survivability.
BAE SystemsLockheed Martin Defence Blog →Defence Industry Europe →
BAE Systems wins $16 million to integrate M-code GPS into U.S. Navy carrier landing system
BAE Systems will upgrade the GPS inside the U.S. Navy's Joint Precision Approach and Landing System (JPALS) to the military's encrypted, jam-resistant M-code signal under a $16 million (€14.8 million) contract from Collins Aerospace. The upgrade aims to protect carrier landing operations in contested environments.
Why it matters: The U.S. is hardening carrier ops against jamming — a recognition that close-in electronic attack on the boat is now a peer threat, not a niche scenario.