Echodyne Plans European Radar Plant to Supply Kongsberg Protector RS4/RS6 Drone-Defense Upgrades

Kongsberg’s selection integrates Echodyne’s compact MESA arrays into existing Protector stations that previously lacked native drone tracking. The move follows Echodyne’s July 2026 opening of an 86,350-square-foot Washington facility built for 30,000 units annually under a $40 million investment. CEO Eben Frankenberg stated the U.S. plant serves as a replicable template for European capacity to meet local-content demands. European militaries have accelerated counter-UAS procurements since 2022, yet most remote weapon stations remain optimized for ground threats rather than small UAVs.

Procurement records show Kongsberg has marketed the upgraded Protector configurations to NATO partners seeking rapid drone defeat without full system replacement. Echodyne’s radar provides electronically scanned coverage in a form factor small enough for vehicle mounting, addressing a documented gap in European C-UAS inventories. Independent analysis of MSPO 2026 exhibits confirms multiple European primes are now retrofitting legacy stations rather than issuing new platform contracts. This pattern reduces acquisition timelines but creates dependency on U.S. radar supply chains.

European governments continue to signal preference for domestic production under recent defense industrial strategies. Echodyne’s consideration of a second facility directly responds to these offset requirements while preserving U.S. design control. The company’s prior work with Kongsberg on surface and air applications provides an established integration pathway. Next milestones include site selection and qualification testing expected within 18 months.

Operational significance centers on whether European output can scale fast enough to match reported drone-threat volumes observed in current conflicts. Delays would leave NATO forces reliant on U.S. exports subject to ITAR constraints.