AeroVironment Inc. (NASDAQ: AVAV) announced the release of Halo_Shield, a modular counter-unmanned aircraft system designed to detect and defeat airborne threats including drones and cruise missiles.

The company made the announcement April 28 at the Modern Day Marine event in Washington, D.C. The system uses a tile-based architecture comprising Sentinel, Terrestrial, Nautical, Aerial and Celestial tiles, each containing specialized sensors and weapons systems.

Halo_Shield is designed to protect critical infrastructure and military installations from Group 1-5 unmanned aircraft systems, coordinated drone swarms, and subsonic cruise missiles. The system integrates AeroVironment's existing products including LOCUST laser weapon systems, Switchblade loitering munitions, and Titan RF counter-drone systems.

"The character of the air threat has fundamentally changed," said Wahid Nawabi, Chairman, President, and Chief Executive Officer at AeroVironment. "Cheap, massed, and coordinated aerial systems are stressing traditional point defenses. Halo_Shield is our answer—a collaborative, modular approach that brings together the best of AV and a trusted supplier ecosystem to close those gaps."

The system operates through AV_Halo software platform and can function as portable deployable kits that integrate with existing customer command-and-control systems. Each tile can operate independently or combine with others to extend coverage across larger geographic areas.

AeroVironment stated it is currently demonstrating capabilities and has deployed Halo_Shield tiles at select critical sites. The company plans to release additional information about each tile component in future announcements.