BAE Systems unveils next-gen directed energy and kinetic defence systems

BAE Systems unveiled two breakthrough defence technologies at AUSA 2026: the Multi-Domain Artillery Cannon System (MDACS) and the High Power Microwave (HPM).

Both products provide key layered counter-unmanned aircraft systems (C-UAS) and counter-missile capabilities built to protect critical installations and manoeuvrer forces against saturation drone attacks.

The threat from massed drone swarms has outpaced the capacity of traditional, magazine-limited kinetic systems to respond. MDACS and HPM address this gap directly, pairing the precision of high-velocity kinetics with the near-limitless capacity of directed energy to deliver sustained, cost-efficient defence.

Jason Casciotti, vice president of BAE Systems’ Weapon Systems product line, said: “The threat environment is evolving faster than traditional procurement cycles can keep up with. By leveraging a validated technical core and a resilient supply chain, we are delivering a high-maturity solution that ensures that as long as there is power, there is defence.”
MDACS

How these systems represent a shift to more resilient and adaptable defence options

MDACS forms the kinetic layer of the shield. Air transportable and highly agile, the system delivers offensive and defensive versatility across the battlefield through a family of precision-guided munitions tailored to the target.

For air defence, it fires the Hypervelocity Projectile (HVP), a next-generation guided round. To strike fixed and moving ground targets in contested environments, it fires Scorpio-XR, a precision-guided munition that doubles the range of existing 155mm cannon-launched projectiles.

HPM forms the directed energy layer. Built on a high-maturity architecture with more than 99% commercial off-the-shelf components, the system removes the logistical constraints of traditional ammunition entirely. It delivers a continuous defensive capability capable of defeating drone swarms for as long as power is available, a critical advantage as adversaries field larger and more coordinated drone formations.

Both systems represent a shift toward more resilient and adaptable defence options for armed forces like the US Army, by moving proven capability from the tech lab to the front line at an accelerated pace, without sacrificing reliability on the battlefield.