Freedom Eagle (FE-1)
04/02/2026
Solution: Freedom Eagle (FE-1)
Press Release
AV Selected for U.S. Army Next-Generation C-UAS Missile Program, Awarded $95.9M Contract to Deliver FE-1 for U.S. Army’s Long-Range Kinetic Interceptor (LRKI) Program
10/22/2025
HUNTSVILLE, Al., October 22, 2025 – AeroVironment, Inc. (“AV”) (NASDAQ: AVAV), a leading provider of Counter-Unmanned Aircraft Systems (C-UAS) and advanced air and missile defense technologies, has been selected to deliver the U.S. Army’s Next-Generation C-UAS Missile (NGCM). Along with this selection, AV was awarded a $95.9 million contract for the U.S. Army’s Long-Range Kinetic Interceptor (LRKI) program through the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Aviation & Missile Center (CCDC AvMC) Aviation & Missile Technology Consortium® (AMTC). As part of the LRKI program, AV will manufacture and deliver its Freedom Eagle (FE-1) kinetic C-UAS missile.
“FE-1 strengthens our nation’s air defense arsenal by providing an urgently needed kinetic C-UAS solution–built to fill the gaps in today’s defense capabilities and meet the adversarial threats of tomorrow,” said Jimmy Jenkins, Executive Vice President of AV’s Precision Strike and Defense Systems Group. “This selection by the U.S. Army is a testament to AV’s intentional investments, unmatched agility and technical expertise, and unwavering commitment to our nation’s national security priorities. We are quickly scaling production to deliver FE-1 to the frontlines, where they’ll provide critical warfighter protection and inform our development for full-rate manufacturing.”
FE-1 is a low-cost, high-performance solution to neutralize Groups 2 and 3 UAS while maintaining residual capability against Group 1 UAS, fixed wing, and rotary wing aircraft with increased lethality, extended range, and rapid launch capabilities. It has already achieved several key development milestones, including a successful live-fire demonstration of its dual-thrust solid rocket motor, controlled test vehicle (CTV) launches, and warhead tests. These achievements demonstrate FE-1’s technological maturity and reduced technical risk in preparation for field deployment.
“FE-1 is more than just a missile. It’s a transformative capability for next-generation air and missile defense,” said Daniel Noland, Senior Director of Strategic Capture for AV. “Our team–side by side with our industry partners and U.S. Army customers–has put in long hours in the lab and on the range because they believed in the mission: to rapidly develop the technology our warfighters need to tackle our nation’s toughest aerial threats. We’re ready to transition this disruptive technology from research and development to the battlefield and focused on ramping up manufacturing to deliver with scale and speed.”
To successfully deliver an entirely new kinetic platform built to counter rapidly evolving air threats on a rapid timeline, AV developed critical strategic partnerships and assembled a team of industry experts–including Applied Systems Engineering Inc. (“ASEI”), a leading provider of engineering and avionics solutions.
FE-1 joins AV’s portfolio of industry-leading C-UAS solutions, including Directed Energy (DE), Radio Frequency (RF)-based, and Electronic Warfare (EW) systems. The company is also a leading provider of precision strike and loitering munitions, including Switchblade and JUMP 20 which have proven success in austere battlespaces around the world. Together, these capabilities form an end-to-end, multi-domain defense architecture designed to address the most advanced UAS threats.
About AeroVironment, Inc.
AeroVironment (“AV”) (NASDAQ: AVAV) is a defense technology leader delivering integrated capabilities across air, land, sea, space, and cyber. The Company develops and deploys autonomous systems, loitering munitions, counter-UAS technologies, space-based platforms, directed energy systems, and cyber and electronic warfare capabilities—built to meet the mission needs of today’s warfighter and tomorrow’s conflicts. At the core of these technologies lies AV_Halo, a modular, mission-ready suite of AI-powered software tools that empowers warfighters and enables full-battlefield dominance: detect, decide, deliver. With a national manufacturing footprint and a deep innovation pipeline, AV delivers proven systems and future-defining capabilities at speed, scale, and operational relevance. For more information, visit www.avinc.com.
Safe Harbor Statement
Certain statements in this press release may constitute “forward-looking statements” as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are made on the basis of current expectations, forecasts and assumptions that involve risks and uncertainties, including, but not limited to, economic, competitive, governmental and technological factors outside of our control, that may cause our business, strategy or actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, our ability to perform under existing contracts and obtain additional contracts; changes in the regulatory environment; the activities of competitors; failure of the markets in which we operate to grow; failure to expand into new markets; failure to develop new products or integrate new technology with current products; and general economic and business conditions in the United States and elsewhere in the world. For a further list and description of such risks and uncertainties, see the reports we file with the Securities and Exchange Commission. We do not intend, and undertake no obligation, to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
CONTACT:
AeroVironment
+1.703.418.2828
pr@avinc.com
News
BlueHalo Conducts Successful Test Launch of FE-1 Next-Gen C-UAS Missile
03/13/2025
ARLINGTON, VA — BlueHalo, the company transforming the future of global defense with actively deployed and operationally proven Counter-Uncrewed Aerial System (C-UAS) solutions, announced today the successful live fire demonstration of its Next-Generation C-UAS Missile (NGCM)–Freedom Eagle-1 (FE-1), addressing the critical need for munitions industrial base expansion to meet the rapidly evolving advanced aerial threats.
“In light of recent global events, including activities in Europe, the Red Sea and Taiwan, we’re taking a proactive stance–increasing internal investments to advance our FE-1 system and leaning in to meet the demand signal on an expedited timeline,” said Jonathan Moneymaker, BlueHalo Chief Executive Officer. “Our investments and development progress, including this successful CTV test launch, underscore BlueHalo’s dedication to addressing evolving threats and ensuring that warfighters have access to critical capabilities sooner rather than later.”
During the first Controlled Test Vehicle (CTV) live fire demonstration held in January at Yuma Proving Ground, Team BlueHalo conducted three missile test flights. In each of the three tests, FE-1 launched successfully and performed its flight as planned, affirming BlueHalo’s commitment to a rapid development schedule. The team collected video, system and sensor data logs, radar tracks, and RF diagnostics data from each flight test to evaluate the missile’s guidance, navigation, and control systems and analyze aerodynamic models to drive down significant technical risk associated with the program.
“Going three for three on the first ever launch during the development of a new kinetic missile program is an astounding engineering feat and a testament to our team’s incredible dedication and expertise,” said James Batt, BlueHalo Chief Growth Officer. “FE-1 is a superior solution to address critical gaps in our nation’s C-UAS and air defense arsenal. We are thrilled to get it one step closer to the frontlines, where it will protect our warfighters and ensure mission success.”
The recent demonstration is the latest in a string of FE-1 milestones, highlighting its rapid development timeline:
Last June, BlueHalo announced its selection as one of two vendors chosen to continue development of the NGCM by the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Aviation & Missile Center (CCDC AvMC) Aviation & Missile Technology Consortium® (AMTC).
In August, the company announced the completion of multiple rounds of testing for the FE-1, including the successful firing of its dual-thrust, solid rocket motor.
In December, BlueHalo successfully completed warhead detonation testing, which collected impact data against simulated targets. Test data included penetration depths, velocities, impacts, and panel frag patterns, which will be used to confirm FE-1’s lethality predictions and support continued warhead development.
“While competitors in the NGCM program remain focused on conceptual presentations, BlueHalo is actively building and testing flight hardware,” said Batt. ” Team BlueHalo went from paper design to first flight in 107 days, demonstrating incredible innovation and a commitment to the NGCM program. This success not only indicates our readiness but also significantly reduces the technical and schedule risks associated with the NGCM program.”
BlueHalo’s continued investment and acceleration in the development of FE-1–with a planned customer live-fire demonstration in 3Q 2025–is in response to legislative affirmation to this capability is a priority of growing importance. In the recently passed FY25 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). FE-1 is a critical response to the evolving UAS threat landscape. Supported by Congressional oversight, significant budgetary allocations, and the recognition of current system limitations, it addresses the need for enhanced range, lethality, and adaptability. This missile ensures a layered, cost-effective defense strategy, protecting national security interests against increasingly sophisticated drone threats.
“It’s clear that the new administration wants middle-tier acquisition going faster and fielding technology quicker,” said Moneymaker. “Additionally, Congress is supportive of additional effectors to get longer range, at higher altitudes, against a threat that is evolving faster than we can keep pace with current systems. We’re moving at the speed necessary to meet the need, even if it requires our own internal funding to make it happen.”
BlueHalo’s FE-1 is designed to counter larger UAS (Group 3 and above) with enhanced maneuverability, range, and rapid launch capabilities. This addresses the limitations of current systems, which cannot effectively engage advanced, larger drones. It rapidly and affordably enhances warfighter lethality, survivability, and combat effectiveness, providing an agile and disruptive new technology to the munition industrial base and expanding national security air defense capabilities.
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About BlueHalo
BlueHalo is purpose-built to provide industry-leading capabilities in the areas of Space, C-UAS and Autonomous Systems, Electronic Warfare & Cyber, and AI/ML. The company develops and brings to market next-generation capabilities to support customers’ critical missions and national security. Learn more at http://www.bluehalo.com and follow BlueHalo on LinkedIn.