Fortem Lands $18 Million Army Counter-Drone Deal as Federal Momentum Builds

Lindon, Utah — February 26, 2026

Lindon, Utah–based Fortem Technologies has secured a three-year, $18 million contract with the U.S. Army to deploy its counter-drone systems at Army sites worldwide, underscoring the Pentagon’s accelerating push to harden bases against small unmanned aerial threats.

The award covers equipment and field support services, including Fortem’s AI-powered DroneHunter interceptor, which autonomously captures hostile drones midair using a net and lowers them safely to the ground. The company has already received an initial task order worth nearly $4 million.

The award solidifies Fortem as the Army’s choice for the low‑collateral-effect interceptor. It also provides multi‑year funding to continue development of the product, which is dual-use and broadly applicable to commercial, security, and law enforcement operations.

Unlike jamming systems or kinetic “kill” approaches that destroy drones in flight, DroneHunter is designed to physically capture targets intact. This is a key distinction for operations over populated or sensitive areas where falling debris or signal interference pose added risks.

“The entire capture cycle — from detection to tracking to mitigation — happens fully autonomously and at a very high success rate," shared Fortem Technologies CEO Jon Gruen with TechBuzz. "The operator doesn’t have to fly anything; they simply set the rules of engagement, and the system executes. In a drone attack, the adversary chooses the timing and tries to exploit surprise. Our job is to remove that advantage by being ready 24/7 with a system that can respond instantly and decisively.”

Gruen also said, “Protecting soldiers and materiel from the growing drone threat is one of the most urgent defense challenges of our time. This award highlights the U.S. Army’s trust in Fortem’s unique ability to move beyond detection and deliver safe, effective drone interception in real-world environments.”

The Army contract adds to a period of significant momentum for Fortem. In January, the Pentagon selected DroneHunter as its first purchase under the Replicator-2 initiative, a fast-track effort designed to move deployable counter-drone systems into operational use quickly.

Fortem also announced the first customer deliveries of the next-generation DroneHunter 5.0, and disclosed what is believed to be the industry’s first 5-on-5 autonomous drone swarm takedown – detecting, tracking, and neutralizing multiple hostile drones simultaneously with zero collateral damage.

In February, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security tapped Fortem as the only authorized kinetic counter-drone provider for U.S. venues during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, part of a multimillion-dollar security effort tied to what is expected to be the largest World Cup in history. The company will deploy its net-equipped interceptors, along with radar and command-and-control systems, to protect stadiums across 11 U.S. host cities.

Fortem was also selected for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, marking its second consecutive tournament deployment.

As small drones increasingly reshape modern battlefields and public-event security planning, the Army contract signals growing institutional confidence in capture-based counter-UAS systems that move beyond detection to active interdiction.

In a conversation with TechBuzz, Gruen framed the nature of Fortem precisely, "We’re not a drone company, and we’re not just a radar company. We’re an edge AI systems company. The real breakthrough is advancing both sides of the equation at the same time: low size, weight, power and cost radars that detect and classify targets down to the micro-Doppler level, and interceptors that act on that data autonomously in real time. When you integrate sensing and mitigation into one intelligent system, you get maximum effectiveness with maximum efficiency."

Learn more at fortemtech.com.