"European authorities are taking notice. NAD is barely two years old, but was one of four finalists selected this year to compete in a counter-drone contest held in Portugal by Frontex, the European Border and Coast Guard Agency. Startups like NAD are one of the many ways Europe is rebalancing to face Russia's ability to mass-produce long-range attack drones. They'll compete with leading contractors that have long dominated the market,"
"The startups have an edge up their sleeve. Defense primes, though more established and better connected, typically charge a premium and are often seen as large, cumbersome organizations. NAD has about two dozen employees, while MBDA and US-headquartered Lockheed Martin, for example, have 18,000 and 121,000, respectively. Fastest in class, NAD says NAD says the Kreuger-100XR's propeller can push the craft to speeds above 220 mph, and that its optimal range is about two miles at an altitude of around 3,300 feet."
The Kreuger-100XR is a footlong, rocket-shaped, mostly carbon-fiber interceptor weighing about a pound with foldable wings, designed to be launched in large numbers to hunt and destroy uncrewed aerial systems. Nordic Air Defence, a Swedish startup roughly two years old, was a Frontex counter-drone contest finalist. The company emphasizes low cost, stating units cost a few thousand dollars compared with conventional short-range interceptors that can cost hundreds of thousands to millions. The Kreuger-100XR reportedly reaches speeds above 220 mph with an optimal range of about two miles at roughly 3,300 feet. Startups face competition from established primes like MBDA and Lockheed Martin.
Read at Business Insider
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