U.S. Army Seeks $994 Million for Small Counter-Drone Systems in Fiscal 2027 Request

U.S. Army plans to spend $994 million in procurement funding on small counter unmanned aerial system technology in its fiscal 2027 budget request, nearly double the enacted FY26 budget for the same line item. The enacted FY26 budget included $596 million for small cUAS, of which $336 million derived from discretionary spending and $260 million from mandatory or reconciliation funding.

5 trillion. The Army is using a systems of systems architecture for its small counter-drone capabilities that includes expeditionary and mobile platforms, sensors, effectors, electronic warfare components and an interoperable fire control system.

The service plans to allocate funds across eight distinct areas, according to its budget justification books. The largest share, $414 million, is earmarked for operational small cUAS capabilities including c-UAS batteries, expeditionary mobile platforms and sensors.

Another $165 million is designated for fixed small cUAS capabilities for homeland defense, fixed sites defense, base or installation defense, and logistics support.

The topic of using counter-drone measures to protect bases and installations has been prominent in recent months due to challenges between the Defense Department and the Federal Aviation Administration on capabilities to shoot down threatening drones.

The Army plans to allocate $132 million for effectors and is planning to procure 800 kinetic capabilities, 29 non-kinetic capabilities and 24 Next Generation cUAS Missiles. The Next Generation cUAS Missile is also known as the Freedom Eagle-1 and is a kinetic platform made by Aerovironment.

It is designated NGCM. At the squad and individual soldier level, the Army plans to allocate $108 million on small cUAS capabilities including dismounted, handheld, and wearable systems for protection against Group 1 and Group 2 UAS threats. The service also plans to allocate $80 million on small cUAS for brigade and below elements for fighting off Group 1 and 2 drones.

Directed energy efforts will receive $66 million, including two Enduring High Energy Laser systems as a rapid prototyping effort interoperable with the Integrated Battle Command System-Maneuver. The E-HEL systems are part of directed energy cUAS capabilities.

The Army plans to allocate $24 million on expeditionary launcher systems and mobile launcher systems to acquire 12 expeditionary launcher systems and 10 mobile launcher systems for one service cUAS battery.

It also plans to allocate almost $5 million for small cUAS ground readiness lines providing logistics support for the Family of Counter Unmanned Aircraft Systems program procured in prior years. The FoCUS program oversees the Army’s development of an agnostic, medium-range small cUAS system. The Army’s small cUAS ground readiness line funds logistics support for the FoCUS program.

The Army’s small cUAS budget justification is contained in budget justification books. The uptick in funding reflects lessons from recent conflicts. In the Ukraine-Russia war, inexpensive small first-person-view drones have been used to destroy multi-million-dollar tanks.

In the Iran conflict, interceptors such as the Patriot Advanced Capability-3 Missile Segment Enhancement costing $3-4 million have been used against Iranian-made Shahed drones costing $4,000. The operation using PAC-3 against Shahed drones was named Operation Epic Fury.

@BreakingDefense reported that the Army’s approach underscores the growing importance of affordable, layered defenses against proliferating small drone threats that have altered battlefield calculations worldwide.

US Army Sgt. 0 at Bemowo Piskie Training Area on July 29, 2025. The photo of Sgt.

Sebastian Zouzoulas demonstrating the Terrestrial Layer System Manpack was taken by US Army Sgt. Alejandro Carrasquel.