Echodyne Enhances U.S. Radar Production to Address Growing Global C-UAS Needs
Kirkland-based radar maker opens an 86,350-square-foot plant capable of producing more than 30,000 MESA radars a year to meet counter-UAS demand.
Echodyne has inaugurated a new advanced radar manufacturing facility in Washington State, as announced on July 9, 2026. The Kirkland-based company states that the new site significantly enhances its capacity for producing MESA radar systems to fulfill the increasing demand from U.S. and allied counter-UAS customers.
Inside the new Echodyne MESA radar manufacturing plant
The facility spans 86,350 square feet, with approximately 74,350 square feet dedicated to production and 12,000 square feet for warehousing. Echodyne has commenced end-to-end manufacturing, aiming to produce over 30,000 radar units annually, which translates to around 2,500 units per month. The company plans to transition all manufacturing operations from its headquarters to this new facility in the coming months.
Echodyne is investing $40 million in this plant and anticipates creating more than 100 jobs, potentially increasing to 200 as production scales. The modular design of the facility allows for flexibility across various product lines and future radar developments.
Why demand for MESA radar is growing
Echodyne’s Metamaterials Electronically Scanned Array (MESA) technology electronically steers beams without the extensive use of phase shifters found in traditional ESA radars. This design utilizes standard materials and commercial manufacturing processes, resulting in reduced size, weight, power consumption, and cost while maintaining exportability.
The demand for MESA radar is driven by various applications, including counter-UAS operations, force protection, border security, intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance (ISR), critical infrastructure protection, and beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) operations. The proliferation of drones in the ongoing conflict in Ukraine has further accelerated procurement efforts.
Eben Frankenberg, CEO of Echodyne, emphasized the urgency of meeting customer demands for rapid radar delivery, stating, “The only way to defend against mass is with mass.” He highlighted that scalable manufacturing is essential for any global supplier.
Echodyne’s radar technology is integrated into numerous defense systems worldwide, supporting platforms from companies such as Anduril, Axon, Moog, and Northrop Grumman. Recently, the company was designated as the primary radar provider for Trust Automation’s Small UAS Detection System, which is being delivered to the U.S. Air Force under a significant contract.