Air Force buys MANPADS kits for counter-UAS assistance

The Air Force is buying 21 shoulder-fired aerial defense system kits to counter short-term unmanned aerial system threats, under a nearly $16 million sole-source contract to Israeli-owned ELTA North America, a Defense Department contract notice stated Tuesday.

The MANPADS, to be produced in Israel, will be shipped to the U.S. by July 28.

The service is also eyeing 12-gauge shotgun rounds and electronic signal jammers to combat small UAS, and expects to set up a counter-UAS program of record by the end of fiscal year 2018, spokeswoman Erika Yepsen said earlier this month.