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Allen Control Systems (ACS), a Texas-based startup, recently showcased its cutting-edge counter-unmanned aerial system (C-UAS) gun at a Department of Defense (DoD) tactical solutions convention held at Camp Atterbury, Indiana. The event, which spanned two weeks, featured live fire demonstrations of ACS’s Bullfrog robotic weapon system, designed to autonomously detect and engage drone threats.
During the convention, the Bullfrog system was tested daily, with the gun successfully engaging and defeating drone targets in rapid succession, both in single and multi-drone scenarios. The system’s performance consistently highlighted its strengths, including its low cost, lightweight design, compact size, and swift operational capability. These attributes collectively contributed to its effectiveness in countering drone threats within seconds.
The company says that achieving this level of drone interception capability without incurring exorbitant costs has been challenging, but the Bullfrog demonstrates a viable solution that meets the DoD’s need for an affordable anti-drone defense system. They emphasized that the system addresses the pressing threat posed by low-flying, inexpensive drones that have increasingly influenced modern battlefields.
The event marked a notable achievement for ACS, with the company’s co-founder and CEO expressing appreciation for the opportunity to participate in a high-profile military event just two years after the company’s inception. The convention was attended by over 30 representatives from Pentagon stakeholders, Congress, and key C-UAS program offices, underscoring the significance of the demonstration.
The Bullfrog system, weighing 181 kilograms, is designed in a gun turret configuration and is equipped to address class 1 to 3 unmanned aerial systems (UAS). It operates in both automatic and semi-automatic modes and boasts a less than two percent false negative rate in fully passive detection. The system’s lightweight design also allows for mounting on NATO-standard military vehicles, according to The Defense Post. Combining computer vision, artificial intelligence, and the M240 machine gun, the Bullfrog ensures precision targeting with 7.62-millimeter rounds.
The successful performance of the Bullfrog during the Technology Readiness Experimentation 2024 (TRE 2024) event supports the company’s goal of accelerating the defense industry’s adoption of advanced, cost-effective technologies that enhance battlefield protection for U.S. military forces and their allies.
