The Pentagon gave Raytheon a $5.04 billion deal to provide the Army with its combat-proven Coyote missile, which intercepts and destroys drone threats
The Raytheon Coyote is a key component of the U.S. military's counter-Unmanned Aircraft System (C-UAS) arsenal, primarily used as a highly effective drone interceptor.
It is a combat-proven weapon designed to intercept and destroy hostile small to medium-sized drones, including those that attack in coordinated swarms. It is a small, expendable, tube-launched system. The main combat variant is a high-speed missile (or "effector") equipped with a boost rocket motor and a turbine engine for speed and range. It can be launched from fixed or mobile platforms on the ground, or even from air and sea vessels. It is a critical part of the U.S. Army's Low, slow, small, unmanned aircraft Integrated Defeat System (LIDS), where it is paired with Raytheon's KuRFS radar for detection and tracking.
The system comes in two variants:
Kinetic: Variants (like the Block 2) that physically intercept and destroy the target, often with a fragmentation warhead.
Non-Kinetic: Variants (like the Block 3) that can use non-explosive means (such as High-Power Microwave or electronic warfare) to disable a drone, sometimes allowing the Coyote to be reusable.
Raytheon was awarded a $5.04 billion contract by the Department of War for the Coyote Missile System. The deal runs through September 2033 and includes launchers, radars, and both kinetic and non-kinetic interceptors.
The Coyote is a combat-proven, rail-launched missile that forms a core part of the U.S. military's counter-drone arsenal. It is designed to engage high-speed, unmanned aircraft, including swarms, at extended ranges and altitudes. Its small, expendable design and dual-variant capability—kinetic (direct hit) and non-kinetic (electronic effect)—provide versatile and cost-effective defense against evolving aerial threats.
The unit price of a kinetic Coyote Block 2 interceptor is often cited in defense reporting as being around $100,000 to $125,000 per round. This price point is considered low-cost when compared to traditional surface-to-air missiles (like a Patriot or even a Stinger), which can cost hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars per round. Using a relatively inexpensive Coyote to shoot down an enemy drone that might only cost a few thousand to tens of thousands of dollars is still a concern regarding the overall "cost-exchange ratio," but it is a much better ratio than using a multi-million dollar missile.
The newer Coyote Block 3 variant, which uses a non-kinetic (e.g., electronic warfare) payload, is designed to be reusable, which would significantly lower its cost per kill over multiple engagements.
It is a combat-proven weapon designed to intercept and destroy hostile small to medium-sized drones, including those that attack in coordinated swarms. It is a small, expendable, tube-launched system. The main combat variant is a high-speed missile (or "effector") equipped with a boost rocket motor and a turbine engine for speed and range. It can be launched from fixed or mobile platforms on the ground, or even from air and sea vessels. It is a critical part of the U.S. Army's Low, slow, small, unmanned aircraft Integrated Defeat System (LIDS), where it is paired with Raytheon's KuRFS radar for detection and tracking.
The system comes in two variants:
Kinetic: Variants (like the Block 2) that physically intercept and destroy the target, often with a fragmentation warhead.
Non-Kinetic: Variants (like the Block 3) that can use non-explosive means (such as High-Power Microwave or electronic warfare) to disable a drone, sometimes allowing the Coyote to be reusable.
Raytheon was awarded a $5.04 billion contract by the Department of War for the Coyote Missile System. The deal runs through September 2033 and includes launchers, radars, and both kinetic and non-kinetic interceptors.
The Coyote is a combat-proven, rail-launched missile that forms a core part of the U.S. military's counter-drone arsenal. It is designed to engage high-speed, unmanned aircraft, including swarms, at extended ranges and altitudes. Its small, expendable design and dual-variant capability—kinetic (direct hit) and non-kinetic (electronic effect)—provide versatile and cost-effective defense against evolving aerial threats.
The unit price of a kinetic Coyote Block 2 interceptor is often cited in defense reporting as being around $100,000 to $125,000 per round. This price point is considered low-cost when compared to traditional surface-to-air missiles (like a Patriot or even a Stinger), which can cost hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars per round. Using a relatively inexpensive Coyote to shoot down an enemy drone that might only cost a few thousand to tens of thousands of dollars is still a concern regarding the overall "cost-exchange ratio," but it is a much better ratio than using a multi-million dollar missile.
The newer Coyote Block 3 variant, which uses a non-kinetic (e.g., electronic warfare) payload, is designed to be reusable, which would significantly lower its cost per kill over multiple engagements.
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