Raytheon’s Reusable Drone Drops Swarms Without a Bang

Raytheon’s non-kinetic Coyote responds intelligently to the growing threat of drone swarms. Companies and militaries are seeking for cost-effective solutions to deal with large numbers of low-cost, off-the-shelf drones. RTX’s Raytheon division has really created a new variant that demonstrates what it’s all about.

The Coyote Block 3 Non-Kinetic variant just blasts out of a little tube and flies through the air. It’s driven by a small turbine engine, and before you know it, it’s flying at high speeds and altitudes, allowing it to quickly close in on targets. Once in the air, it simply hangs around over the contested region, waiting for any dangers to appear. When the drones begin to arrive, typically in large groups meant to overwhelm defenses, the Coyote rushes into action.

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Unlike its explosive cousins or missiles, which simply bang into targets, this Coyote carries a non-kinetic payload, also known as an unseen blast of electricity that immediately damages the drone’s circuitry. Circuits fail, controls lock up, and the enemy aircraft plummets from the sky. There is no fireball or shrapnel; the attacking drone simply drops to the ground, and the Coyote continues to fly.

This capability was tested during recent demonstrations for the US Army. One drill at Yuma Proving Grounds saw operators launch drone swarms directly at the defense setup. The Coyote Block 3 Non-Kinetic then fought many incoming drones simultaneously. The footage from that drill shows the interceptor speeding past its targets, followed by the drones plummeting through the air with no sign of an explosion or hit. According to reports, at least ten drones were destroyed in one strike, including those troublesome Group 1 and Group 2 types that the adversary like to deploy in large numbers.

The recovery feature is another significant advantage of this device, since the Coyote just returns to base and drops into a net. Ground crews can then inspect the airframe, perform some basic maintenance, and prepare it for the next trip. Because it is reusable, you save a lot of money compared to building and launching single-use interceptors that go up in a puff of smoke after one task. Instead of needing to build a new round every time, the main expenses are now fuel and the occasional refurbishing.

Raytheon builds both kinetic and non-kinetic variants of the Coyote, with the kinetic versions relying on direct collision or a warhead to destroy the target completely. The non-kinetic Block 3 variant has the same fast, jet-powered body and can fly faster and higher than many comparable aircraft, but it replaces the explosive end with an electronics-focused defeat. This makes all the difference when drone swarms arrive in waves. Conventional rockets or cannons will simply run out of ammunition if the attacks continue for an extended period of time, but a gettable platform with a reusable effect is a different issue entirely.
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