Raytheon has won $729 million in contracts to supply key parts of the Army's main counter-drone system to the U.S. Army and to Qatar and Jordan, parent company RTX announced Oct. 13.
The awards cover the two core pieces of the Low, slow, small-unmanned aircraft Integrated Defeat System, or LIDS: the Ku-band Radio Frequency Sensor, known as KuRFS, which watches for threats in every direction, and the Coyote interceptor, which can take down single drones or swarms. RTX said the deals with Qatar and Jordan are the first international sales of either product. Orders include both fixed-site and mobile versions of the system.
The company said Coyote has made hundreds of intercepts in combat.
"LIDS provides a proven and cost-effective layer of defense that ensures allied forces have the protection they need against hostile drones," said Tom Laliberty, who heads Raytheon's Land and Air Defense Systems business. He said Raytheon is speeding up Coyote production to keep up with demand from around the world.
RTX said it is spending to expand manufacturing and to add new technology to the interceptor, with upgrades aimed at quicker launches, higher speed and longer reach at higher altitude.