The U.S. Army has awarded Anduril Industries a new enterprise contract valued at up to $20 billion over 10 years, establishing the company’s AI-driven Lattice software platform as a central technology backbone for multiple defense missions—particularly counter-uncrewed aircraft system (C-UAS) operations. 

The agreement consolidates more than 120 separate procurement actions into a single enterprise contract vehicle administered by Army Contracting Command at Aberdeen Proving Ground. Under the framework, government agencies can issue task orders for Anduril’s software, hardware, and data infrastructure as needed through 2036. 

While the contract broadly covers commercial defense technologies, its most immediate operational focus is the integration and scaling of counter-drone capabilities across U.S. and allied forces.

Lattice Selected as C-UAS Command-and-Control Backbone

In parallel with the enterprise agreement, the Pentagon’s Joint Interagency Task Force–401 (JIATF-401) has selected Anduril’s Lattice system as its enterprise tactical command-and-control platform for counter-UAS operations, with an initial task order reportedly valued at about $87 million. 

Lattice functions as a software layer designed to fuse data from sensors, autonomous platforms, and defensive systems into a unified operational picture. The platform uses AI-driven analytics, computer vision, and mesh networking to detect, track, classify, and coordinate responses to drone threats across distributed networks. 

As the command-and-control backbone for JIATF-401, the system will enable operators to integrate radars, electro-optical sensors, electronic warfare systems, and kinetic interceptors within a single operational environment. The goal is to allow joint and interagency forces to respond to drone incursions more quickly while maintaining interoperability between different sensors and defensive technologies. 

Army officials say the unified platform addresses one of the most persistent problems in counter-drone defense: fragmented command systems that prevent sensors and effectors from operating as a coordinated network.

“This agreement provides common air domain awareness through a proven command-and-control platform—Lattice—allowing us to build a cohesive defensive ecosystem,” said Army Col. Tony Lindh, deputy director of acquisitions for JIATF-401. 

Enterprise Contract Reflects Shift Toward Software-Defined Defense

The contract structure itself reflects a broader shift within the Department of Defense toward enterprise acquisition of software-centric capabilities, particularly those tied to autonomy and AI-enabled sensing networks.

Rather than purchasing individual systems through separate programs, the enterprise model allows the Army and other agencies to procure capabilities under a unified framework—effectively “buying in bulk” while enabling rapid deployment and software updates. 

For counter-UAS missions, this model is particularly significant. Drone threats increasingly evolve through software and low-cost manufacturing cycles, meaning defensive architectures must integrate new sensors, algorithms, and intercept technologies continuously rather than through traditional multi-year acquisition programs.

Counter-Drone Pressure Driving Pentagon Adoption

The timing of the contract reflects the growing operational urgency surrounding drone threats. U.S. forces and allied militaries are facing large-scale deployments of inexpensive uncrewed aircraft across multiple theaters, forcing rapid expansion of counter-UAS capabilities.

The Lattice architecture is designed to support a distributed defense model in which multiple sensors and interceptors—potentially from different vendors—can operate within a single networked system.

That capability is expected to play a key role in future counter-drone architectures spanning fixed installations, mobile forces, and critical infrastructure protection.

Expanding Role for Emerging Defense Technology Firms

The scale of the Anduril contract also highlights the Pentagon’s increasing reliance on venture-backed defense technology firms capable of delivering software-driven systems quickly.

Founded in 2017, Anduril has rapidly expanded its portfolio of autonomous defense systems, including drones, sensors, and counter-UAS interceptors, alongside its Lattice command-and-control software platform. 

By consolidating procurement of these technologies into a single enterprise contract, the Army aims to accelerate deployment of integrated autonomy and sensor-fusion systems across the joint force.

For counter-drone operations, the result could be a standardized command architecture linking sensors, interceptors, and autonomous platforms across multiple agencies and operational theaters.