Airbus Defence and Space and Alta Ares have signed a memorandum of understanding to integrate European counter-drone systems, with the work centred on Airbus Fortion battle-management software and air and missile defence tools.
The agreement links Airbus’s Fortion IBMS and Fortion SAMOC with Alta Ares counter-UAS solutions, while the two companies continue development of the Black Bird interceptor for medium-range threats and the X-Lock system for short-range drone defence. The pairing gives Airbus a dedicated counter-drone technology partner as Europe pushes for layered air-defence architectures that can handle both cruise-missile and drone threats.
The deal is non-binding, but it creates a path for faster system integration and broader market access across European defence programmes.