The Pentagon has tapped Anduril Industries and Zone 5 Technologies to accelerate the development of advanced interceptors under its Counter NEXT initiative, aimed at neutralizing larger, military-grade drones. The program, managed by the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU), focuses on rapidly integrating commercial technologies into frontline air defense.
Counter NEXT specifically targets Group 3 drones and above, which can weigh several hundred pounds and are capable of carrying reconnaissance equipment or weapon payloads. These drones represent a growing challenge, as adversaries employ inexpensive unmanned systems to threaten high-value assets. Both Anduril and Zone 5 successfully completed design sprints and initial flight testing within a year, positioning them to advance into prototype refinement.
The companies will now receive additional funding to improve system designs, integrate them into existing combat networks, and conduct safety and qualification testing. A live-fire trial is scheduled for 2026, marking a key step toward operational deployment. The interceptors’ modular architecture and reliance on widely available components are intended to keep costs down while simplifying future upgrades.
The initiative reflects the Pentagon’s growing urgency to address gaps in counter-drone defenses. Traditional interceptors are often expensive, limited in number, and slow to reload compared with the low cost and accessibility of drones such as the Iranian-made Shaheds seen in Ukraine and the Middle East. Counter NEXT complements other US defense projects, including Apache helicopter-mounted counter-UAS systems, the LOCUST mobile laser, and multi-service competitions seeking scalable, layered solutions to the unmanned threat.
