The US Army has taken an unusual route to drone defense by enabling a Ford F-250 pick-up truck to be capable of driving itself while carrying a shotgun-armed turret.
Showcased during a live-fire exercise, the reconfigured vehicle featured a Forterra AutoDrive autonomy system and an Edda weapon station from Austin-based firm 9 Mothers.
The truck supports automated obstacle reduction, the US Army’s term for clearing lanes through minefields, wire, and other barriers so troops can advance safely.
Its Edda turret is built to detect drones through sound, with an onboard visual tracking system taking over once it confirms an inbound target.
Weighing about 23 kilograms (50 pounds), the turret can reportedly engage fast-moving targets as small as 7 inches (18 centimeters) that are as far out as 100 meters (328 feet).
The system is engineered to remain passive before firing, meaning the turret does not emit signals that enemies could capture to identify its position.
From Prototypes to Operational Models
The truck was trialled as part of Project Sandhills 2.0, which focuses on transitioning prototypes into deployable assets the US Army can use on the field.
The live-fire tests were held at Range 63 of Fort Bragg, with Forterra becoming part of the demo after its inclusion in previous US Army exercises.
Forterra is currently under contract to deliver autonomous mission systems compatible with Ford’s F-250 trucks.
