The United States Marine Corps has awarded a $9.5 million contract to SteelRock Technologies Ltd. for compact radio frequency jammers designed to counter small drones.
The contract, issued by Marine Corps Systems Command, covers the procurement of NightFighter Mini systems and related spares under the Corps’ Organic Counter small Unmanned Aerial Systems program. All equipment is scheduled for delivery by August 25, 2026, with funding drawn from fiscal year 2024 procurement budgets.
At the center of the deal is the NightFighter Mini, a compact electronic warfare system weighing about 2 kilograms. Designed for use by a single operator, the device can be carried or mounted to a rifle, allowing individual Marines to disrupt drone activity without relying on larger, dedicated counter-UAS systems.
The system works by emitting radio frequency interference across four preset bands, including those commonly used by Wi-Fi and military communications. By overwhelming control and navigation signals, it can sever a drone’s link to its operator, often forcing it to hover, return to its launch point or descend.
The NightFighter Mini supports two primary mission roles. It can be used as a personal “sidearm” against drones, giving small units immediate defensive capability, or deployed for broader tactical electronic interdiction, disrupting multiple unmanned systems within a localized area.
The Marine Corps’ decision to procure the system under an urgent requirement highlights the rapid evolution of drone warfare. Small commercial and modified drones have become a persistent threat in modern conflicts, used for surveillance, targeting and direct attack.
The Organic Counter small UAS program aims to address this gap by equipping Marines at the individual and squad level with portable tools capable of immediate deployment.
SteelRock, based in London, specializes in radio frequency counter-drone systems. Its NightFighter family, which includes larger variants alongside the Mini, targets a growing market for lightweight, mobile counter-UAS solutions.
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Post Image Credit: SteelRock Technologies
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