US Army M-SHORAD

The US Army M-SHORAD program develops Stryker-based Maneuver Short-Range Air Defense systems to detect, identify, track, and defeat low-altitude aerial threats including Group 1-3 UAS, rotary-wing, and fixed-wing aircraft in support of Brigade Combat Teams. Development began in 2019, with prototypes like the 50 kW Directed Energy M-SHORAD (DE M-SHORAD) deployed operationally, including four systems to US Central Command; the program integrates kinetic effectors (30mm cannon, missiles) and supports directed energy growth. From a defense-intelligence perspective, it provides mobile, layered air defense against proliferating drone threats, enhancing maneuver units' survivability with cost-effective, deep-magazine options like lasers. Current status is procurement and operational deployment of prototypes, transitioning to enduring high-energy laser programs in FY2026.