Kongsberg taps Echodyne radar for weapon stations as US firm weighs European footprint

Norwegian defence group Kongsberg has chosen the MESA radar platform from US-based Echodyne for use across a range of air and surface applications, the American company announced at the MSPO defence exhibition in Kielce, Poland.

The selection extends an existing working relationship between the two firms. Echodyne’s radars will be integrated into Kongsberg’s Protector RS4 and Protector RS6 remote weapon stations — remotely operated mounts that carry weapons on vehicles or fixed positions. According to Echodyne chief executive Eben Frankenberg, the radars will allow those stations, which were not originally built with small drones in mind, to detect and engage uncrewed aerial threats.

Kongsberg is one of several European defence manufacturers Echodyne works with, Frankenberg noted, describing the arrangement as part of a broader pattern of partnerships across the industry.

European expansion under consideration

The Kongsberg deal comes as demand grows across Europe for compact radar systems capable of supporting counter-drone detection and fire-control functions. Echodyne says it is evaluating whether to establish manufacturing operations in Europe, partly in response to interest from European governments in sourcing more locally produced defence content.

“There’s obviously a big European demand and there’s rightfully some interest from European countries in having more local content,” Frankenberg said. “We’re thinking about where it would make the most sense.”

A production template

Any European move would follow Echodyne’s July 2026 opening of an 86,350-square-foot facility in Washington state, backed by a $40 million investment. The company says the plant is designed to eventually produce more than 30,000 radar systems per year.

Frankenberg described the Washington site as a blueprint for future expansion, noting that the company now has a detailed understanding of the equipment, workstations, and staffing required to stand up similar facilities elsewhere.

Counter-drone systems have become one of the fastest-growing segments of the European defence market, and radar suppliers able to deliver miniaturized, mass-producible sensors are seeing increased attention from primes and integrators across the continent.

What to watch

• Whether Echodyne announces a definitive European manufacturing location or investment.
• Details on the scope and delivery timeline of the MESA integration into Kongsberg’s Protector RS4 and RS6 stations.
• Additional European partnership or integration announcements from Echodyne.
• Capacity milestones at the Washington state facility as production ramps toward the stated 30,000-unit annual target.

Source: original release