Federal Ammunition, Mossberg and Palladyne AI have announced the joint development of SwarmShot, a modular autonomous airborne counter-UAS system designed to turn compatible drones into reusable air-to-air interceptors.
The system will combine Federal’s counter-uncrewed aircraft system (C-UAS) ammunition, a lightweight Mossberg weapon module and Palladyne AI’s IntelliSwarm autonomy system. It will initially be developed as a mission module for Palladyne AI’s Gremlin-X Group 1 quadcopter, with the companies planning an integration kit for compatible third-party aircraft following qualification.
Palladyne AI said IntelliSwarm will enable multiple SwarmShot-equipped aircraft to coordinate engagements, allocating targets, calculating intercept paths and adapting to changing threats. The autonomy system builds on capabilities the company says were demonstrated with the US Army during Project Convergence Capstone 6 and other exercises.
The three companies will divide development responsibilities, with Federal leading ammunition and terminal-effect optimisation, Mossberg developing the airborne weapon module and Palladyne AI handling aircraft integration, fire control, intercept autonomy and multi-aircraft coordination.
The partners intend SwarmShot to provide a reusable kinetic layer against small uncrewed aircraft, complementing existing C-UAS sensors, command systems and other effectors. Planned development activities include airborne weapon integration, recoil and aircraft-stability testing, live-fire flight testing and autonomous multi-interceptor coordination.
Development schedules, customer engagements and financial terms have not been disclosed.
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Image: Palladyne AI
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