American engineers have taken a missile built to strike tanks and bunkers and fired it straight up at a right angle to kill a drone, a maneuver that signals how fast the counter‑drone fight is evolving. In a recent test, a Joint Air to Ground Missile was launched in a 90‑degree vertical shot from a ground vehicle and guided onto an unmanned target, turning a traditional air‑to‑ground weapon into a flexible shield against low‑cost aircraft. The result is a vivid glimpse of how the United States is trying to stay ahead of swarming threats that are getting cheaper, smarter, and harder to stop.
From tank killer to drone hunter
The missile at the center of this experiment is the AGM‑179A Joint Air to Ground Missile, better known as JAGM, a precision weapon originally designed to replace legacy Hellfire rounds against armored vehicles and hardened positions. In the new trial, the same JAGM was fired in a 90‑degree vertical launch profile from a dedicated JAGM Quad Launcher, or JQL, then tipped over in flight to intercept an unmanned aircraft, showing that a system built for ground attack can be repurposed to hit agile aerial targets. Reports describe the shot as the first time the Joint Air to Ground Missile has been used in this way, with the intercept framed as a proof that the missile’s guidance and control can handle extreme trajectories and fast‑moving drones.
The company behind the test, Lockheed Martin, has been explicit that it now sees JAGM as a counter‑UAS tool that can be fired from land, air, and sea. In coverage of the intercept, analysts note that Lockheed is pitching JAGM as a C‑UAS solution despite the cost gap between relatively inexpensive drones and far more expensive missile interceptors, a tradeoff the firm argues is justified when high‑value assets or critical infrastructure are at risk, a point underscored in reporting that highlights how Lockheed is marketing the missile’s versatility.
The 90‑degree shot and the quad launcher “mothership”
What makes this test stand out is not just that a drone was intercepted, but how the missile left the rail. Instead of the familiar angled canister or wing pylon, JAGM was fired in a 90-degree vertical launch, climbing straight up before pitching toward the target, a profile that allows the same launcher to cover threats from any direction without physically slewing the vehicle. The missile came from a JAGM Quad Launcher, described as a compact rack that holds four rounds and can be bolted to different platforms, giving ground units a way to add precision interceptors without redesigning entire vehicles.
In the demonstration, the JQL was mounted on a 6×6 “Mothership” vehicle that acted as a mobile firing base, with the vertical shot proving that the launcher can send JAGM up and out of tight spaces such as urban streets or forested positions. One detailed account notes that Lockheed Martin launched a joint air‑to‑ground missile from the Quad Launcher in a 90‑degree vertical profile from that Mothership, while another technical summary explains that the same JAGM Quad system is being positioned as a modular counter‑UAS option for different unmanned and manned carriers.
Inside the counter‑drone intercept
The intercept itself was designed to mirror the kind of unmanned threat that has become routine on modern battlefields, with a drone target representing the small UAS that have harassed forces from Ukraine to the Middle East. According to detailed test descriptions, the U.S. military worked with Lockheed Martin to conduct what has been described as a first‑ever counter‑drone intercept using a vertical‑launch JAGM, with Breaking News coverage labeling it a milestone in the evolution of the missile. The engagement showed that the weapon can acquire and destroy a maneuvering unmanned target after a straight‑up launch, a demanding test of both guidance and agility.
Multiple reports stress that the intercept was not a lab curiosity but a live‑fire event in a realistic environment, with one account noting that the U.S. conducted the trial as part of a broader effort to field a vertical‑launch missile for counter‑drone defense. A detailed technical brief on the drone demonstration explains that Lockheed Martin has successfully tested vertical‑launch JAGM in a counter‑drone scenario, emphasizing that the system is intended to defeat drones and other aerial threats rather than just ground vehicles.
Why a 90‑degree launch matters on the battlefield
Vertical launch is not a gimmick; it is a way to give small units 360‑degree coverage without the mechanical complexity of turreted missile racks. By firing JAGM straight up in a 90-degree profile, the launcher can engage drones approaching from any azimuth, including low‑flying quadcopters that pop up over tree lines or rooftops. That flexibility is particularly valuable for dispersed formations and mobile convoys, where threats can appear from unexpected directions and there may be no time to swing a launcher into position.
Lockheed Martin’s own description of the event, shared through a detailed account of the JAGM Quad Launcher trial at CHINA LAKE in Calif, underscores that the company sees vertical launch as a way to meet U.S. and allies’ mission‑critical needs in contested airspace. Another report on the same event notes that the Posted announcement credited Seapower Staff and highlighted that the demonstration, From Lockheed Martin, was intended to show how the launcher can support C‑UAS missions for partners as well as U.S. forces.
Sensors, seekers and the cost of killing drones
Under the hood, JAGM’s ability to pull off this intercept rests on its guidance package, which combines multiple modes to track and hit small, fast targets. The weapon’s multi‑mode seeker includes an improved semi‑active laser, often abbreviated as SAL, and an advanced sensor suite that has been Proven throughout multiple flight tests to help crews engage moving targets in cluttered environments. One financial and technology brief on the trial explains that this Proven SAL sensor combination is designed to improve performance against complex target sets and reduce collateral damage, a critical consideration when drones operate near friendly forces or civilian areas.
At the same time, defense officials and analysts are candid about the economics of firing a sophisticated missile at a relatively cheap unmanned aircraft. Reporting on the intercept notes that John Hill and others have highlighted the cost gap between drones and missile interceptors, even as Lockheed pitches JAGM as a C‑UAS option from land, air, and sea. The company’s argument, echoed in several technical summaries, is that the missile’s precision and flexibility justify its use when defending high‑value assets, a case reinforced by descriptions of the JAGM test that emphasize its ability to hit targets even at difficult trajectories.
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