Pentagon Awards Raytheon $5.04B Army Contract for Coyote Counter-UAS and KuRFS radars.

The Pentagon awarded Raytheon a $5.04 billion U.S. Army contract for its Coyote counter-UAS system and KuRFS radars, with an ordering period running into 2033. The long-duration buy signals sustained U.S. demand for counter-drone defenses across theaters and locks in an industrial base path for rapid fielding.

The U.S. Department of War announced on Sept. 29, 2025, a $5.04 billion contract to Raytheon for the Coyote counter-UAS system, including fixed and mobile launchers, kinetic and non-kinetic effectors, and Ku-band Radio Frequency System (KuRFS) radars; the ordering period runs through Sept. 28, 2033. The Army program cements Coyote and KuRFS as a durable backbone for counter-drone protection at bases and on maneuver, building on prior buys and testing.
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Coyote remains a family of compact, expendable unmanned aircraft originally designed for launch from a sonobuoy-type canister, with wings deploying immediately after ejection (Picture source: Raytheon)

The core of the purchase concerns Coyote interceptors offered in kinetic and non-kinetic versions within the U.S. Army’s LIDS solution. The kinetic version, associated with the Coyote Block 2, employs a radio-frequency seeker and a fragmentation warhead to strike Class I and II drones, including fast and maneuvering targets. After a booster phase, Block 2 transitions to a turbine engine, reaches speeds of approximately 345 to 370 mph, or about 555 to 595 km/h, and provides an interception range between 10 and 15 km. The interceptor can remain airborne for a few minutes to re-engage if the first pass fails, which increases the likelihood of defeating evasive flight paths. In parallel, the line initially grouped under the Block 3 designation and now referred to as Coyote Launched Effect Short Range emphasizes non-kinetic effects and reuse. It retains configurations for ISR, communications relay, and electronic warfare, with a reconfigured airframe, retractable tail control surfaces, and integration options on multiple platforms.

Technically, Coyote remains a family of compact, expendable unmanned aircraft originally designed for launch from a sonobuoy-type canister, with wings deploying immediately after ejection. The baseline airframe weighs about 5.9 kg, measures 0.91 m in length with a 1.5 m wingspan, cruises around 55 kt with peaks near 70 kt, can operate up to 30,000 ft in non-icing conditions, offers a communications radius of roughly 70 nautical miles, and has an endurance between one and two hours depending on variant. Designed for interchangeable payloads, the system has been used by NOAA in cyclonic environments and evaluated by the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Army for intelligence, relay, and strike missions. Launch can be performed from a pneumatic canister, a rail, or an existing tube. Recent demonstrations validated firings from a TOW launcher on an M2 Bradley and from a Modular Effects Launcher fitted to a Bell 407 helicopter, without major platform modifications.

Within the LIDS architecture, Coyote is paired with the KuRFS radar in the Ku band and the FAAD C2 command-and-control system. KuRFS provides 360-degree surveillance, detects targets with low radar cross-section, and generates fire-control-quality tracks. FAAD C2 orchestrates the detect-decide-engage loop and enables sequential handling of multiple threats. In its first-generation anti-UAS configuration, the roughly 13 lb air vehicle carries an RF seeker and an approximately 1.8 kg warhead, delivering a proximity or impact effect to defeat small UAS, whether individual targets or swarms. Tight integration among KuRFS, FAAD C2, and Coyote shortens engagement timelines and improves performance in cluttered environments, including urban areas or sites near critical infrastructure.

In employment, the Coyote-KuRFS set occupies the inner layer of a defense-in-depth posture. Units often apply non-kinetic effects to disrupt, force errors, or fix the target’s trajectory, then trigger a kinetic interception if the threat persists. The effector’s compact form factor, the ability to use existing launch hardware, beyond-line-of-sight engagement options, and reliance on standard commercial components make it suitable for protecting forward bases, logistics nodes, and convoys. Modularity allows rapid switching from an ISR role to an interception role and selection between kinetic and non-kinetic effects according to collateral-damage constraints. The objective is not only to handle a single intruder but to maintain the capacity to conduct successive engagements against salvos or swarms.

The sensor segment acquired under the same award covers KuRFS radars. This multi-mission sensor, a key element of the LIDS architecture, detects and tracks very small targets and can contribute to rocket, artillery, and mortar surveillance. In the field, KuRFS feeds the fire-control function, provides stabilized tracks, and cues the interceptor at the appropriate moment. Coupled with FAAD C2 and electronic-warfare assets provided by other contractors, the whole forms a detect-decide-defeat chain that can be deployed in mobile configurations or at fixed sites, whether for airfield protection, munitions depots, or dispersed logistics points.

In practice, the U.S. Army seeks a robust and repeatable setup, with leveled production over time, spare parts, and regular crew training. The eight-year duration of the contractual vehicle addresses this need for industrial and operational predictability. It should also permit incremental updates to detection algorithms, payloads, and data links, in step with rapidly evolving threats.

The worldwide spread of small drones, from the Middle East to Eastern Europe, has made counter-UAS a baseline requirement. State and non-state actors employ commercial or improvised platforms for reconnaissance, harassment, and precision strikes. U.S. bases within the CENTCOM area have faced repeated intrusions, while the war in Ukraine demonstrates the scaling effect of low-cost drone fleets on logistics, command posts, and local defenses. In recent budget documents, the U.S. Army highlights this capability area while continuing experiments with directed energy and new effectors. The contract awarded to Raytheon consolidates a proven, exportable, already deployed architecture and offers a clear trajectory for units and for partner nations confronted with similar threats.