FD-1 Drone Interceptor

History

The FD-1 drone interceptor was developed by Mountain Horse Solutions, a Florida-based company and part of Global Ordnance, to address a cost imbalance in counter-drone operations where inexpensive drones arrive in large numbers and are often shot down with interceptors that cost far more than their targets. The system won first prize in the U.S. Army's xTech Counter Strike competition in November 2025. In March 2026, Mountain Horse Solutions was one of five ground autonomy providers awarded a $275,000 prize in the Army's xTech Edge Strike: Ground competition, and in May 2026 the company received a $10,000 cash prize for its scalable, adaptable lethal payloads for small drones as a winner of the Lethality Prize Challenge, aligned with the Defense Department's Drone Dominance Program.

Following the competitions, the U.S. Army's Global Tactical Edge Acquisition Directorate (G-TEAD) awarded an initial Other Transaction Agreement (OTA) for the FD-1 in spring 2026. Soldiers from G-TEAD, the 52nd Air Defense Artillery Brigade, and the Army Test and Evaluation Command evaluated the system, and after each operational assessment Mountain Horse Solutions delivered user-driven upgrades within five weeks. The Army Test and Evaluation Command completed its technical review. On October 8, 2026, G-TEAD issued a second OTA for additional FD-1 interceptors, less than a year after the system first came to the Army's attention. The 409th Contracting Support Brigade handled the contracting. G-TEAD's Accelerated Capability Events are designed to move technologies from concept to transition within 180 days, and the FD-1 effort remained within that timeline from operational assessment through the second award. The company stated the FD-1 is already fielded. Neither Mountain Horse Solutions nor the U.S. Army disclosed the contract value or the number of interceptors ordered.

Specifications

The FD-1 is a compact, man-portable interceptor designed to defeat Group 1 to Group 3 unmanned aircraft systems, a range that spans from small quadcopters up to aircraft weighing several hundred kilograms, as well as ground targets. A single operator handles the entire system rather than a crew, and the interceptor can be set up and launched in under two minutes. The system can operate standalone or integrate behind an existing detection and tracking network as the defeat capability. The operator maintains positive control throughout each engagement, and a human authorizes every shot. Mountain Horse Solutions is producing the FD-1 and has stated capacity to scale output for additional U.S. Army orders as well as for allied and partner nations.