Raytheon is accelerating the manufacturing of its Coyote counter-UAS missile to support the U.S. Army’s Low, Slow, Small, Unmanned Aircraft Integrated Defeat System program. This expansion follows the system’s operational deployment in Operation Epic Fury against Iran, where the Army recently confirmed 600 combat intercepts.
The Coyote missile works in conjunction with Raytheon’s Ku-band Radio Frequency Sensor to detect and defeat drones. Tom Laliberty, president of Raytheon’s land and air defense systems, stated that integrated air and missile defense remains a critical priority for the military sector. He noted that the company is scaling production to meet rising demand for counter-drone capabilities.
Laliberty revealed that Raytheon has tripled its Coyote production over the past year and intends to double that output again by the end of next year. This growth trajectory aims to reach a monthly production rate of approximately 300 missiles.
The company currently offers two interchangeable variants: the Coyote Block 2, which utilizes a kinetic warhead, and the Coyote Block 3NK, a reusable platform equipped with a high-power microwave module designed to counter drone swarms.
The executive emphasized the importance of layered air defense in modern conflicts, citing coordinated attacks in the Middle East and the war between Ukraine and Russia. He explained that adversaries often combine high-cost munitions with lower-cost systems, requiring defensive forces to respond at scale.
Laliberty highlighted that effective command and control across different defensive layers is essential to match the appropriate weapon to the specific threat.