Modern uncrewed aerial systems have transformed airspace defense into a fast-moving and asymmetric contest. Low-cost drones capable of striking critical infrastructure and high-value assets have exposed the limitations of traditional, radar-centric point defenses.
Systems costing less than $1,000 can challenge conventional assumptions about air superiority and create vulnerabilities for sensor networks, military bases and personnel. In response to this evolving threat, AV has developed Halo_Shield, a modular and distributed counter-uncrewed aircraft system architecture designed to integrate multiple sensors and effectors into a unified command-and-control environment.
Halo_Shield combines passive and active sensor data and transforms it into a coherent operational picture through AV_Halo software. The system is deployed in the form of integrated “Tiles” — resilient, interconnected modules that combine sensors, command-and-control capabilities and tactical effectors across different operational domains.
According to AV, this architecture enables earlier detection and reduces the risks associated with point-defense systems that rely on a single sensor or engagement method.
From promising prototype to operationally tested system
Halo_Shield was evaluated during three major defense exercises: T-REX 25-2, TWIX 2026 and T-REX 2026.
The exercises focused on the system’s ability to complete the entire counter-UAS kill chain, from detection and identification to target tracking, weapon assignment and engagement.
T-REX 25-2: Testing base defense capabilities
Held at Camp Atterbury, Indiana, T-REX 25-2 evaluated the readiness of the Halo_Shield architecture for real-world military base defense against UAS threats.
The exercise examined whether the system could fuse data from multiple passive sensors into a common operating picture, function in contested environments, contribute to layered base defense and be realistically produced, deployed and sustained.
Halo_Shield integrated data from Walaris AirScout acoustic and optical sensors, Squarehead Discovair acoustic sensors, AV Titan SV passive RF systems and cooperative feeds from partner platforms. The information was fused into tracks and displayed in the common operating picture.
For T-REX 25-2, the system was deployed as a vehicle-mounted, multi-server Terrestrial Tile. It was tested against simulated and live Group 1–3 UAS flights, including more complex maneuvers and limited swarm activity.
AV said Halo_Shield successfully fused multiple inputs, enabling the passive detection of small drones and rapid visual confirmation with limited operator intervention. The system became operational in approximately 15 minutes, while more complex configurations required an additional 15–20 minutes, including software setup.
The platform recorded near-100 percent uptime during the exercise, with no software crashes or hardware failures reported.
Halo_Shield also demonstrated interoperability by rapidly integrating the exercise’s OMNI messaging format. This enabled the system to participate in the Passive Multi-Spectral Air Surveillance Kill Chains architecture and operate within the Ninja Fusion and TRAX environments.
Overall, T-REX 25-2 demonstrated that Halo_Shield could serve as a technically mature and highly interoperable sensor-fusion and command-and-control platform for distributed base defense.
TWIX 2026: Interoperability and operational agility
Held in Sumter, South Carolina, TWIX 2026 brought together the US Air Force, MITRE, the Department of Homeland Security, the National Guard and defense industry partners, including AV.
The event evaluated Halo_Shield as an interoperable solution for layered airspace defense. The system integrated acoustic, radar and radio-frequency sensors while providing a centralized view of threats and system status.
Halo_Shield coordinated defensive and offensive tools, incorporated AV’s Puma LE intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities and enabled secure data exchange through UDL and partner-defined specifications.
Pre-integration allowed the system to be deployed, networked, configured and operated from the first day of the exercise. Remote nodes were repositioned and reconfigured with minimal downtime, demonstrating the mobility required for expeditionary operations and rapid base defense.
The exercise also identified several areas for improvement, including simplifying installation, reducing configuration variability, improving data tuning and fusion, and refining the user interface so that new operators can understand and act on information quickly under pressure.
T-REX 2026: Full kill-chain performance
The most demanding evaluation to date took place at Grand Forks Air Force Base during T-REX 2026.
AV integrated AV_Halo with Argus Perimeter Security, the Titan RF C-UAS system and the LOCUST high-energy laser. The architecture also included Squarehead acoustic sensors, Axis electro-optical and infrared cameras, Walaris AirScout and SRC Gryphon active radars.
Across multiple scenarios, AV teams employed radio-frequency effects and high-energy laser engagements against Group 1 and Group 2 UAS. The trials examined the complete kill chain under realistic network, safety and operational constraints.
According to AV, the time between drone launch and detection was less than one minute. Identification, cueing and engagement took only a few seconds each.
Halo_Shield rapidly defeated UAS in simpler scenarios, achieved repeated kills against Group 2 platforms and neutralized a five-drone swarm within a short period. The system also defeated a hovering UAS before its formal release during the exercise scenario.
The trials included live testing of Celestial and Aerial Tiles. AV_Halo CORTEX and Puma ISR supported left-of-launch detection by identifying potential launch sites, pilot teams and areas of pre-launch activity.
First LOCUST laser firing at Grand Forks
One of the most significant moments of the exercise was the first high-energy laser firing conducted at Grand Forks Air Force Base.
Halo_Shield provided command-and-control functions for the LOCUST engagement, including fused-track cueing, target-to-weapon pairing, engagement scheduling and commander confirmation under strict safety procedures.
Historically, laser firings of this type required external support. During T-REX 2026, AV_Halo COMMAND assumed that role and demonstrated its ability to coordinate the complete engagement process within the Halo_Shield architecture.
A modular architecture for distributed airspace defense
The results of the three exercises demonstrated, according to AV, the evolution of Halo_Shield from a promising prototype into a warfighting system tested in complex operational environments.
The platform demonstrated:
- integration of multiple sensor types and tactical effectors;
- rapid deployment and configuration;
- high operational availability;
- interoperability with partner systems and architectures;
- distributed and resilient operations;
- coordination of the full detection, identification and engagement chain;
- flexibility for the defense of military bases and critical infrastructure.
Through its modular Tile-based architecture, passive sensors and advanced command-and-control capabilities, Halo_Shield is designed to provide a scalable solution for airspace defense in an environment where inexpensive and easily deployable drones can pose significant risks to bases, sensor networks and personnel.
