Leonardo DRS Inc. (NASDAQ: DRS) announced it has integrated its Maritime Mission Equipment Package on an autonomous unmanned surface vessel, creating a counter-unmanned aerial system capability for maritime operations.

The M-MEP system is designed to detect, track, identify, and defeat aerial unmanned threats in maritime environments. The company said the solution can be rapidly integrated on both crewed and uncrewed platforms to protect ships, ports, coastal infrastructure, and expeditionary forces.

"Aerial unmanned threats are evolving quickly — in range, autonomy, and numbers," said Cari Ossenfort, senior vice president and general manager of the Leonardo DRS Naval Electronics business unit. "The M-MEP is engineered to help the U.S. Navy and allied forces stay ahead of that threat with a modular package that brings sensors, command and control, and defeat options together into one integrated capability that can be fielded fast."

The system combines maritime radar and electro-optical/infrared sensors with integrated networking and the company's SAGEcore software platform for sensor fusion and command and control. It includes a platform integration kit designed to accelerate installation across multiple vessel types.

Leonardo DRS plans to showcase the M-MEP integrated onto the Sea Machines STORMRUNNER autonomous unmanned surface vessel at the Navy League Sea-Air-Space Symposium. The demonstration will take place at Dock 9 outside the exhibition hall.

The company stated the modular system addresses threats ranging from small commercial quadcopters to long-range unmanned aerial systems that present risks to maritime operations.