US counter-drone manufacturer Fortem Technologies is considering establishing manufacturing and development operations in Europe, including on NATO’s eastern flank, as demand rises for autonomous air defense systems. Speaking to TVP World at the Warsaw Security Forum, CEO Jon Gruen said the company could make progress on a possible development in Poland within a year, although he did not announce a deal. Gruen said Fortem’s interceptors can pursue hostile drones without continuous operator guidance, including in environments disrupted by electronic jamming. Its systems can capture targets with nets or destroy them using explosive warheads. Fortem and European missile maker MBDA announced an expanded partnership on October 12. The companies plan to offer Fortem’s DroneHunter interceptor through MBDA’s Sky Warden architecture and jointly market the warhead-equipped FireThorn. Gruen also said Fortem had secured a third order from an unnamed European country. Poland is expanding counter-drone cooperation with neighboring Slovakia as concerns grow over Russian drone incursions.
