US Air Force seeks versatile ground-based air defense launcher for drones and missiles

The U.S. Air Force issued a Request for Information to solicit a portable, self-contained Ground-Based Launcher capable of defending air bases against cruise missiles and a broad range of drones—from small Group 1 to large Group 5 UAVs—emphasizing high firing rates, large magazine depth, seamless command-and-control integration, integrated sensing, and robust maintenance diagnostics; this follows ongoing threats to bases from Iranian drones and missiles and reflects a broader debate about whether air defense should be Army-led or Air Force-led.