October 30 – Allen Control Systems announced on social media that the U.S. Army has begun evaluating its "Bullfrog" autonomous counter-unmanned aerial vehicle (C-UAV) weapon station.

Publicly released images indicate the U.S. Army is assessing the integration of the Bullfrog C-UAV weapon station with the M1A2 Abrams main battle tank and the M2 Bradley infantry fighting vehicle. This marks a concrete step by the U.S. Army in protecting frontline armored units from the growing threat of small, fast, and low-cost drones. Previously, U.S. Army mechanized units drew lessons from armed conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East. In these hotspots, drones often carry improvised explosive devices to attack various targets, including heavy armored vehicles.

The space on top of the Bradley IFV's turret is very limited, making the placement of the Bullfrog challenging. This disclosure of U.S. Army weapon development is significant because the Army is not researching distant concepts but is testing a mature system already installed on operational platforms. Allen Control Systems' announcement of these trials suggests the U.S. Army wants to address the UAV threat at the vehicle level, not just at the brigade level.

The initial U.S. Army trials focus on integrating the system into existing ground vehicles. Photos released by Allen Control Systems show the Bullfrog C-UAV weapon station mounted on the rear top of the Bradley IFV turret and on the top of the Abrams tank turret, with the electro-optical system installed on the side, enabling high-elevation firing. Even if just models, this approach demonstrates that the turrets of existing weapon systems can be fitted without major redesigns, without affecting existing sighting systems and hatches. The position can be adjusted to provide the crew with all-around, high-elevation fire coverage.

Allen Control Systems tested the Bullfrog C-UAV weapon station primarily equipped with an M240 machine gun, noting it has the capability to mount an M2 machine gun. This high-elevation firing capability is crucial, as most remote weapon stations (RWS) currently in U.S. Army service are designed to engage infantry and light vehicles, not quadcopters almost directly above the engine compartment. Therefore, the U.S. Army is evaluating whether the Bullfrog C-UAV weapon station can be deployed as an add-on component, allowing frontline units to install and maintain it without causing significant disruption.

The Bullfrog C-UAV weapon station installed in a pickup truck bed.
Beyond simple adaptability, these trials also aim to quantify its performance improvement over standard RWS. The core of the Bullfrog C-UAV weapon station is a 7.62x51mm machine gun with an effective rate of fire of approximately 600 rounds per minute, integrated with sensors and software capable of detecting, identifying, and engaging Group 1-3 drones, with an effective range of about 1,500 meters. This capability would provide the Abrams main battle tank and Bradley infantry fighting vehicle with a local hard-kill C-UAV capability and can operate in both autonomous and semi-autonomous modes, thereby reducing crew exposure risk.

The U.S. Marine Corps uses FPV loitering munitions for C-UAS testing.
For loitering munitions acting as suicide drones, reaction time is critical: an automated, stabilized turret already tracking an aerial target reacts faster than a manually operated RWS. This approach also aligns with the current U.S. Army C-UAS concept of dispersing capabilities across multiple platforms to form small, mobile air defense systems, rather than concentrating air defense assets in a few M-SHORAD self-propelled air defense vehicles.

The Bullfrog C-UAV weapon station possesses autonomous defense capability.
How the Bullfrog C-UAV weapon station integrates with existing defense systems, as well as its deployment costs, are also under evaluation. Abrams tanks equipped with the Trophy Active Protection System and Bradley vehicles equipped with the Iron Fist Active Protection System, while potent against anti-tank missiles and rockets, are not designed for slow, irregularly flying, low-signature quadcopters.

The Bullfrog C-UAV weapon station installed on a Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV).
Existing RWS, using their M2/M240 machine guns, can counter drones but rely entirely on the gunner's situational awareness. The Bullfrog C-UAV weapon station, with its high-elevation firing capability, automatic detection function, and relatively light weight (approximately 75 kg), addresses this air defense gap. The system can also be installed on the in-service platforms of U.S. allies. If the Bullfrog C-UAV weapon station and its derivatives pass live-fire tests, the Abrams main battle tank and Bradley infantry fighting vehicle will gain a reliable counter-drone capability. Such defensive ability would complement, not replace, active protection systems and higher-echelon air defense assets. For U.S. and allied mechanized forces operating in drone-saturated battlefields, the development of this technology will likely translate into higher survivability for armored vehicles and greater freedom of maneuver, without having to wait for external covering support.

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Post time:Sep-25-2020