On August 19, 2026, ThinKom Solutions Inc. announced that the U.S. Army’s Portfolio Acquisition Executive Fires (PAE Fires), operating through Program Manager for Advanced Counter-Unmanned Aircraft System Effects (PM ACE), awarded the company an Other Transaction Authority (OTA) prototype project.
The agreement holds a ceiling of $49 million to deliver and evaluate a mobile, high-power microwave (HPM) counter-unmanned aerial system (C-UAS) capability.
Technical Architecture and System Integration
Under the prototype project, ThinKom will deliver its Alecto HPM effector integrated with government-designated threat detection sensors, fire-control architectures, and a mobile tactical vehicle platform.
The Alecto platform leverages ThinKom’s patented Variable Inclination Continuous Transverse Stub (VICTS) phased-array antenna technology paired with high-frequency vacuum electronics. The architecture is engineered to deliver:
- Target Coverage: Defeat capabilities against Group 1 and Group 2 unmanned aerial systems (UAS), including multi-drone swarms.
- On-the-Move Operation: Beam steering capabilities allowing high-power directional emission while the host vehicle is in motion.
- Non-Kinetic Effector Metrics: A low cost-per-engagement profile utilizing electromagnetic energy rather than consumable kinetic interceptors.
- SWaP-C Optimization: Low-profile physical footprint reducing prime power requirements compared to conventional solid-state directed energy systems.
Context and Army C-UAS Modernization
The prototype contract expands upon ThinKom’s 2025 entry into the high-power microwave directed energy weapons market, where the company demonstrated VICTS phased arrays handling gigawatt-level peak input powers.
Initial funding under the OTA covers the delivery of one of four prototype units requested by PM ACE, as the Army evaluates non-kinetic directed energy capabilities to safeguard maneuver units against rapidly proliferating uncrewed aerial threats.
“The rapid proliferation of unmanned aircraft systems is creating an urgent need for mobile and scalable counter-UAS capabilities,” said Dan Roman, vice president for electronic warfare and high-power microwave programs at ThinKom. “Alecto, enabled by our patented VICTS antenna, is designed to give soldiers a high-capacity and low-cost per-engagement option that can fire while moving and protect against Group 1 and Group 2 drone threats. We are proud to support the Army’s rapid-prototyping efforts and its work to deliver effective capabilities to soldiers.”
Evaluation Schedule and Field Testing
ThinKom will deliver the initial prototype to support Army-led field testing and operational integration scheduled for 2027. Test results gathered by PAE Fires at Redstone Arsenal will inform future Army acquisition decisions regarding mobile HPM force-protection capabilities. The agreement represents a prototype demonstration project and does not constitute a formal production commitment.
