An M2A3 Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicle assigned to 6th Squadron, 1st Cavalry Regiment fires its M242 25mm Bushmaster chain gun during counter-unmanned aerial system live-fire testing at Pabradė Training Area, Lithuania, May 14, 2026. The M242 Bushmaster is capable of engaging both ground and aerial targets at ranges up to 2,500 meters, making the Bradley a viable platform for defeating low-flying unmanned aerial threats on the modern battlefield. From April 27 to May 31, 2026.
(U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Max Elliott)
WASHINGTON — BAE Systems was awarded the Army’s Soft Kill Active Protection System (APS) program of record, aimed at equipping the service’s ground vehicles with electronic warfare capabilities suited to defeat threats ranging from missiles to drones, the company announced.
The soft-kill system — a system that deploys non-kinetic effects — uses BAE’s Rapid Optical Observation and Kill (ROOK) program, which takes down threats by “confusing” or jamming missile systems or drones before they can reach the vehicles, the company said in a release Wednesday.
“Modern ground warfare demands a layered defense, and soft-kill technologies are a critical, complementary component,” Dave Gillespie, director of Optics and Countermeasure Solutions at BAE, said in the release.
