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X-Bow Systems Buckler flight test.
FARNBOROUGH, England—X-Bow Systems announced July 20 a new, low-cost interceptor produced entirely in-house, a first for the startup as both the Pentagon and international militaries seek increasingly affordable options to defeat drones.
The new Buckler interceptor completed a flight test in the Gulf of Mexico, and the company plans additional testing through the rest of this year to expand the interceptor's capabilities, Chief Operating Officer Mike Bender said.
Development of the system began last year, with the company targeting an interceptor for Iranian Shahed-type Group 3 drones at a total cost of less than $100,000.
While the announced flight test was conducted at sea, the company is targeting ground-, surface- and air-launched applications.
X-Bow has developed full space launch vehicles, but Buckler marks the company's first all-up-round interceptor designed in-house. By building the airframe and propulsion system itself, X-Bow says it can better control costs.
The test comes as U.S. services and international partners are increasingly pressing to develop lower-cost interceptors. For example, the U.S. Army recently started a competition to build an interceptor compatible with its M903 Patriot launch system at a total cost of less than $1 million.
The Missile Defense Agency announced a low-cost interceptor program in August 2025 with the goal of producing a prototype within 18 months and a target price of $750,000.
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