Spending on counter-UAS systems (C-UAS) by governments around the world reached more than USD29 billion in publicly announced contracts during the first three months of 2026, according to the latest update of Unmanned Airspace’s Global Counter-UAS Systems Directory.
While the USA and Ukraine account for most of the spending in this market, major new programmes for layered C-UAS defensive systems have also been announced in Colombia, Nigeria, Poland, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.
In March 2026 the US Army awarded Anduril Industries a firm-fixed-price contract with a cumulative total of USD20 billion of for the ten-year supply of C-UAS systems, including the proprietary, open-architecture, AI-enabled Lattice suite, integrated hardware, data, computer infrastructure, and technical support services. The second largest publicly-recorded C-UAS contact was Poland’s SAN CUAS Programme, worth USD4.2 billion, which awarded to a consortium of Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace and Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa (PGZ) to provide a “drone wall shield” on the country’s eastern border.
Meanwhile, partner countries within the Prioritised Ukraine Requirements List (PURL) programme – a NATO initiative launched in July 2025 enabling allies to fund the purchase of US-made weapons and ammunition for Ukraine – in February 2026 announced one of the largest support budgets for Ukraine, totalling USD38 billion for 2026, with USD2 billion allocated to air defence. Spending on C-UAS systems is likely to be far higher than this. Germany said it will fund an anti-drone shield over Ukrainian cities, as well as drone assault units, as part of its USD13 billion budget for assistance to Ukraine. Norway and the UK are contributing approximately USD700 million each to air defence, with other countries, such as Turkiye, also providing dedicated air defence assistance.
Urgent operational requirements among Arab Gulf states have also led to significant purchases of C-UAS systems. Ukrainian successes in bringing down Russian-adapted Shahed drones has meant that Ukraine will have a long-term industrial air defence presence among these states as they partner to pursue counter-drone capabilities, military training and industrial partnerships including research and production.
“The race is now on, in terms of technology, to develop AI-based layered counter-UAS systems which can quickly identify drone threats and choose from a range of mitigation technologies to affordably counter each threat, either individually or as swarms”, said the Directory editor Philip Butterworth-Hayes. “In other words, the speed with which C-UAS technology and procurement systems is evolving may soon be equal or start to overtake the evolutionary drone threat. The challenge of intercepting swarms of cheap, lethal drones is no longer a technical one, it is an issue of logistical supply.
“Affordability and reliability are becoming increasingly important differentiators for both hardware and software developers.
“For industry, one of the key challenges is to get their message across to procurement agencies about the niche capabilities of their systems in a very crowded market. There are now more than 70 manufacturers of intercept drones, for example, which gives procurers a complex challenge in understanding how new mitigation systems can be integrated into their current air defence/C-UAS capabilities.”
Significant national C-UAS strategic C-UAS programmes January-March 2026
January
Colombia The Colombian Government has announced a six billion-plus Colombian pesos (USD 1.6 billion) National Anti-Drone Shield project, to protect strategic infrastructures.
Germany The Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology and In-Service Support (BAAINBw) commissioned ESG Elektroniksystem- und Logistik-GmbH and HENSOLDT to equip the “Defense System against Unmanned Aerial Vehicles” (ASUL) with kinetic weapon. HENSOLDT also received European Sky Shield Initiative (ESSI) orders from Diehl Defence worth over EUR100 million as part of the German European Sky Shield Initiative.
India Zen Technologies received orders worth Rs 404 crore (USD4 million plus) from the Indian Ministry of Defence.
India The Indian Ministry of Defence (MoD) has awarded a 100 crore (USD11 million) contract to Hyderabad-based Indrajaal for the supply of multi-layered autonomous anti-drone systems to deploy its multi-layered autonomous anti-drone systems to protect key Indian Army and Indian Navy installations.
International The NATO Innovation Fund (NIF) co-led a EUR30 million all-European Series A financing round to back TYTAN Technologies alongside Armira, with Visionaries Club, OTB Ventures, Lakestar, Magnetic, D3 and 10x Group.
Poland Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace and consortium partner Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa (PGZ) signed a contract with the Polish Armaments Agency for the delivery of C-UAS systems for its SAN CUAS programme (see introduction). The contract, which is worth about NOK 16 billion (USD16 million) to Kongsberg, entails the delivery of 18 C-UAS batteries. Poland’s SAN CUAS Programme, worth USD4.2 billion, was awarded to a consortium of Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace and Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa (PGZ) in January 2026
USA The Pentagon’s Joint Interagency Task Force 401 announced the first acquisition under the Replicator 2 initiative, awarding a contract for two advanced DroneHunter F700 systems
USA the US Air Force awarded a USD490 million UAS and C-UAS contract to Trust Automation for the rapid research, development, prototyping, demonstration, evaluation, production and transition of C-UAS capabilities
February
International 2026 Ondas subsidiary Airobotics received a multi-million dollar order from a European customer in a NATO country for its Iron Drone Raider C-UAS platform.
Israel Elbit Systems Ltd was awarded several contracts with an aggregate amount of over USD100 million by the Directorate of Defense Research & Development (DDR&D/MAFAT) within the Israel Ministry of Defense, for the development of advanced digitization capabilities for the Israel Defense Forces (IDF
Netherlands The Dutch Ministry of Defence announced plans to invest in a string of radars along its North Sea coast. “The area is home to vital infrastructure such as oil and gas platforms, subsea pipelines, wind farms and data cables, all of which are vulnerable to sabotage and hybrid threats,” said the ministry.
USA Fortem Technologies announced it had been awarded a three-year, USD18 million contract by the United States Army to provide counter-drone solutions and support services. In the same month the company also announced it had received a multi-million-dollar order to protect US venues at the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup.
USA BAE Systems was chosen to fulfil a US Department of War requirement for a Joint Urgent Operational Need (JUON) Dual Mode Air to Air C-UAS weapon system “using Long Wave Infrared seeker, mid-body warhead with dual safe proximity fuze, and modified guidance sections.”
USA Parsons Corporation secured a USD 91 million contract extension for the Overseas Security Installation Services (OSIS II) contract administered by the US Department of State. The scope of services includes C-UAS for US diplomatic facilities, including embassies and consulates around the world. This is the seventh option year award of a 10-year contract, and part of a broader nearly USD 1.12 billion OSIS II contract.
March
Nigeria MARSS and the Nigerian Ministry of Defence signed a USD190 million plus deal to deliver, with local partners, Nigeria’s first fully integrated national defence architecture.
Saudi Arabia, Qatar, UAE President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed multiple contracts with Gulf states for air defence, counter-drone capabilities, military training, industrial partnerships including research and production.
Ukraine Quantum Systems has been tasked to provide 15,000 interceptor drones to the National Guard of Ukraine.
USA The US Army awarded Anduril Industries a firm-fixed-price contract with a cumulative total of USD20 billion of for the ten-year supply of C-UAS systems.
USA The US Department of War announced a contract, valued at USD6.1 million, for the purchase of 210 SmartShooter Smash 2000LE systems and one AeroVironment Titan Cerberus XL system, to protect US bases and installations from drone attacks. Additionally, two AeroVironment radar systems have been assigned to support the National Capital Region in coordination with the Department of Homeland Security, enhancing the region’s ability to detect and counter emerging UAS threats
(Please note: this is not meant to be a comprehensive list but identifies some of the more important, in terms of size or geographic interest, contract awards)
The April 2026 edition of the Unmanned Airspace 2026 Global Counter-UAS Systems Directory is now available. This is a vital industry resource, used by government procurement agencies around with world. It provides the reader with a one-stop comprehensive guide to C-UAS systems and capabilities, along with manufacturing companies, their contract wins and partnerships. It is the world’s only comprehensive, updated guide to C-UAS systems under development or in production around the world and contains over 550 company listings with over 1,000 programme and system descriptions. For sample pages, please contact the editor Philip Butterworth-Hayes at philip@unmannedairspace.info.
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