V2X has secured a contract valued at up to $19 million from the US Marine Corps to provide Tempest mobile counter-drone vehicles and associated support services.
Under the agreement, the Marine Corps can order the vehicles and supporting services as operational requirements arise. V2X will support the systems throughout their deployment by providing maintenance, spare parts, software management, training, and engineering assistance.
The Tempest is designed to accompany frontline forces, delivering mobile counter-unmanned aerial system (C-UAS) protection as units advance, reposition, or conduct operations. The platform integrates sensors and effectors to detect, track, and defeat unmanned aerial systems.
V2X first unveiled Tempest at the Association of the United States Army (AUSA) conference in October last year. The company presented it as a highly mobile firing platform built primarily from commercially available components. The demonstrator featured two weapon launchers and was designed to counter Class 2 and Class 3 drones, which are generally larger, faster, and more capable than smaller quadcopters commonly used for short-range surveillance.
Designed for rapid engagements, Tempest can quickly relocate after engaging a target. This shoot-and-move capability is intended to reduce the window in which adversaries can detect, locate, and attack the system.
According to V2X, Tempest is capable of operating in challenging weather conditions and can be modified as emerging drone threats and mission requirements evolve. The company also offers a trailer-mounted configuration for missions requiring persistent protection at fixed locations, including airfields and ammunition depots
