US Army to Assess RTX Coyote Drone Deficiencies
The U.S. Army is set to assess operational “deficiencies” in RTX’s Coyote Block 3 loitering munition, a key counter-drone platform. While the Coyote remains a candidate for the Army's Launched Effects–Short Range program, the review signals an opportunity for rival systems. The Army's move indicates an openness to new entrants that can offer improved reliability and modularity.
- The Coyote Block 3 was one of three systems demonstrated for the Launched Effects-Short Range (LE-SR) program, alongside AEVEX Aerospace's Atlas and Anduril Industries' Altius 600. - In October 2025, the Army selected competitor AEVEX's Atlas Precision Strike System for its initial LE-SR fielding effort, with Brigadier General David Phillips stating the system was "production-ready that we could then rapidly field". - RTX is developing multiple versions of the Coyote, including a kinetic variant that destroys drones by impact and a non-kinetic Block 3 variant that uses an energy weapon, likely high-power microwave or electronic warfare, to disable drone swarms and can be recovered and reused. - The Army's interest in systems like the Coyote is driven by the high cost of using traditional air defense missiles, which can cost millions, to shoot down drones that may only cost thousands of dollars. - In a recent demonstration, the Coyote Block 3 Non-Kinetic (NK) variant successfully defeated drone swarms, showcasing its launch, flight, intercept, and recovery capabilities. - The Army's broader counter-drone strategy is coordinated by the Joint Counter-small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (C-sUAS) Office (JCO), established to unify efforts across the Department of Defense. - The Coyote is a key component of the Army's Low, slow, small-unmanned aircraft Integrated Defeat System (LIDS), and Raytheon was recently awarded its largest-ever counter-drone contract for the LIDS program. - The push for advanced counter-UAS capabilities involves integrating AI and machine learning for faster detection and decision-making to counter threats that will give operators only seconds to react.
