AimLock, a US company known for its precision targeting technology, is now developing last-resort weapons for counter-drone warfare. At SOF Week 2025 in Tampa, Florida, CEO Bryan Bockman discussed AimLock's focus on autonomous weapons systems designed to defeat drones, recognizing the increasing importance of kinetic options alongside electronic warfare.

Founded in 2013, AimLock has developed aided target recognition technology applicable to rifles, rockets, and drones. The company's mission is to help troops identify and lock onto targets more easily using automated targeting products. Bockman emphasized that while electronic warfare, such as signal jamming and GPS spoofing, can be effective against enemy drones, a kinetic option is crucial when electronic measures fail, especially against drones resistant to electronic warfare due to technologies like fiber-optic guidance or AI.

AimLock's autonomous counter-drone systems detect, classify, and track uncrewed aerial systems before determining the optimal firing solution. These systems utilize visual navigation and autonomous terminal guidance, making them invulnerable to signal jamming and electronic warfare. Bockman explained that AimLock's approach involves creating generalized modules adaptable across various missions, rather than specialized systems requiring constant reinvention. This modularity, embodied in the Core Targeting Module (CTM), combines autonomy with firing and targeting components to enhance weapon speed and precision. The CTM's modular design allows for rapid adaptation to evolving combat scenarios, whether in low-intensity conflicts or high-intensity engagements with limited communications.

The increasing importance of counter-drone technology stems from the proliferation of drones, particularly small, inexpensive models. While electronic warfare and directed energy weapons are being developed to counter uncrewed systems, a reliable kinetic option remains vital. The Pentagon unveiled its new counter-UAS strategy last year to address these challenges. AimLock had developed its first counter-UAS systems back in 2018 but waited for the effectiveness of electronic warfare to become clear. The counter-drone mission was a prominent topic at SOF Week 2025, with defense industry exhibitors and special operations officials highlighting the need for diverse solutions to defeat hostile drones. The Defense Department has prioritized developing a military-wide strategy for countering drones.