Teledyne FLIR Defense, a division of Teledyne Technologies, has introduced its new Cerberus XL C-UAS platform at the Association of the U.S. Army (AUSA) conference in Washington, D.C. The Cerberus XL C-UAS is a mobile, integrated system designed to address air domain monitoring and counter-drone operations in military and civilian settings.
Equipped with advanced thermal and visual imaging systems, long-range 3D radars, and radio frequency (RF) detection, the Cerberus XL can detect, track and identify drone threats from a distance of up to three kilometres. It integrates third-party non-kinetic effectors capable of neutralising threats, providing users with a multi-domain situational awareness tool.
The system is suitable for air, ground and maritime environments, making it versatile for various security applications, including military force protection, airport and seaport security, border monitoring and the protection of critical infrastructure.
“The Cerberus XL C-UAS is one of the most sophisticated, sensitive, and comprehensive counter-drone systems available anywhere,” said Dr. JihFen Lei, president of Teledyne FLIR Defense. “Battle-tested and proven in Ukraine, Cerberus brings together the superior surveillance and radar technologies FLIR Defense has innovated for decades.”
The Cerberus XL addresses the complete counter-drone “kill chain,” covering the phases of detection, tracking, identification and defeat. Its modular design allows the system to be configured based on specific mission requirements, and it can be integrated with both kinetic and non-kinetic defeat systems. Using advanced AI technology, it enhances the accuracy of target identification.
A key aspect of the Cerberus XL is its mobile, trailer-based design, which enables rapid deployment even in extreme conditions. The system features a fixed mast and can be set up in minutes. It is also capable of continuous air defence, simultaneously detecting and tracking more than 500 targets with radar and RF technology.
The platform integrates with the Teledyne Cameleon Command and Control client interface, which offers features such as mapping, track display, camera control, mission recording and system health monitoring. According to Teledyne FLIR, the system reduces operator workload by analysing and integrating data from multiple sensors and systems.
Last year, FLIR Defense secured a $31 million contract with Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace to supply Cerberus XL as part of a broader counter-drone solution for Ukrainian forces. The system has been deployed and has proven effective in operations within Ukraine.
“Military and civilian customers can go from zero counter-UAS capacity to a full solution with this rapid-setup platform that integrates with existing effector systems to deliver drone defeat capabilities users can rely on,” added Dr. Lei.
