Leonardo DRS Launches Mobile AI Radar for Air Defense

The new C-band radar system provides 360-degree hemispheric tracking for integrated air and missile defense networks.

Updated on Oct. 26, 2026 in Robotics

Isometric editorial illustration of a modular containerized radar unit with four sensor panels mounted on a transport frame in a desert. — Leonardo DRS has moved its cxMHR containerized radar system into production, offering mobile, AI-enhanced 360-degree tracking for air defense networks. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Leonardo DRS has moved its cxMHR radar system into production, launching a containerized, mobile C-band unit designed for air defense. The system utilizes artificial intelligence to track and classify threats including drones, rockets, and ballistic missiles.

Why it matters

The system offers a compact, mobile platform for identifying and monitoring complex aerial threats in real-time. By integrating detection and AI-based tracking into a single unit, it provides military forces with a flexible solution for integrated air and missile defense networks.

The system features 360-degree hemispheric coverage using a C-band active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar. It functions as a fully digital, software-defined unit capable of tracking cruise missiles, rockets, and tactical ballistic missiles.

The players

Leonardo DRS

A prime defense contractor that specializes in integrated sensor systems, computing, and combat infrastructure for the U.S. military.

The details

The cxMHR radar integrates four sensor panels, identification-friend-or-foe (IFF) equipment, and command-and-control systems into a single containerized unit. It acts as an AESA system, a technology where the radar beam is steered electronically by adjusting the phase of the signal at each antenna element rather than moving the antenna physically. AI is incorporated to process data streams, allowing the radar to classify and track multiple aerial objects simultaneously.

October 26, 2026: The system announcement was published.

The Tech Race

The cxMHR system extends the defensive capabilities available to the U.S. Army's Integrated Air and Missile Defense program. It represents a shift toward modular, software-defined sensor nodes that can be rapidly deployed to support wider theater air defense networks.

The production-ready cxMHR system is intended for immediate integration into military air defense networks. Its mobile, containerized design allows defense operators to deploy 360-degree radar coverage to varied environments without requiring permanent ground infrastructure.

The takeaway

The cxMHR radar highlights a push for AI-enhanced, portable air defense nodes that can track a wide array of missile and drone threats. Observers should monitor the system's integration into upcoming military field exercises to determine its performance against next-generation aerial targets.