Raytheon UK presented the Red Kite precision munition at the 2026 Farnborough Airshow, marking the debut of its first fully British-designed precision weapon. The system was formally revealed on July 21 after a five-year development period involving British partners. The company describes the Red Kite as a low-cost, high-volume supplement intended to help the Royal Air Force rapidly expand its smart bomb inventory.
The weapon utilizes the airframe of the StormBreaker glide bomb, measuring approximately 1.76 meters in length and weighing between 92 and 93 kilograms. While the external structure is reused, the internal components have been replaced with UK-manufactured guidance systems, fuzes, and warheads.
This approach allows the Red Kite to offer standoff strike capabilities for fourth-generation aircraft without the expense of the millimeter-wave radar seeker found on the original StormBreaker.
Development was accelerated through the use of digital engineering and a "digital twin" methodology, drawing on experience from the Paveway IV program. The guidance electronics and software are designed in the UK, providing GPS/INS navigation and semi-active laser illumination. The weapon features deployable wings for extended range and carries a UK-made multi-purpose warhead, though specific details regarding the warhead's weight or type were not disclosed.
Raytheon UK aims to optimize the Red Kite for the Eurofighter Typhoon, with plans to integrate it onto the F-35 as well. The design incorporates 95% UK and European content, supporting supply chain resilience and aligning with Ministry of Defence goals to increase domestic munitions production.
The company notes that any nation operating Typhoon or F-35 aircraft could potentially purchase the system for cost-effective precision strike capabilities.