Raytheon’s Coyote drone-killer was first introduced in 2014. Now, the U.S. Army plans to buy thousands of the newest generation.
In a publicly available contracting notice, the Army announced it plans to buy 6,000 of the Coyote Block 2 variants and 700 of the Block 3 variants. The main difference between the two is that Block 2s are kinetic while Block 3s are not.
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Put simply, Block 2 is a one-time use drone killer. When launched, it uses a radar seeker to hone in on its target. Once it’s close enough to get the job done, it explodes, hopefully knocking its target out of the sky.
Not much is known about Block 3’s technical specifics yet, however, the “non-kinetic” descriptor would indicate that it can be used to engage multiple targets at the same time, likely using electronic means to take out the target. Unlike Block 2, the Block 3 can be recovered and eventually re-used.
Both versions of the Coyote are fairly mobile. They can be fired from fixed positions, ground vehicles, helicopters and surface vessels. The Army currently uses the Coyote system mounted on a mine-resistant, ambush-protected vehicle, otherwise known as the Oshkosh M-ATV. The Oshkosh M-ATV was the vehicle chosen to ultimately replace the long-serving Humvee.
One benefit of the Coyote is the price. Drone warfare has been a major part of the war between Russia and Ukraine, and even cheap, simply-made drones have to be dealt with. This often comes at the expense of surface-to-air missiles which can cost significantly more than the drone being eliminated. According to multiple reports, the unit price for a Coyote is around $100,000, making it a bargain in comparison.
On top of the new Coyotes, the Army is also picking up 252 fixed launchers, 52 mobile launchers, 118 fixed Ku-band radars and 33 mobile radars.
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[RYAN ROBERTSON]
I’M NOT SURE WHAT IT IS ABOUT THESE TWO BUT THEY MUST PROVIDE SOME SERIOUS MOTIVATION.
IN DECEMBER WE REPORTED ON THE ANDURIL ROADRUNNER.
NOW HERE COMES RAYTHEON’S COYOTE, AND IT’S OUR WEAPON OF THE WEEK.
ACTUALLY, THE COYOTE HAS BEEN HERE A WHILE. THE FIRST GENERATION WERE INTRODUCED IN 2014. OVER THE YEARS IT’S LOOK HAS CHANGED BUT IT’S MISSION REMAINS MUCH THE SAME. IT’S A DRONE KILLER.
IN A PUBLICLY AVAILABLE CONTRACTING NOTICE, THE ARMY LET IT BE KNOWN THEY PLAN ON BUYING 6,000 OF THE BLOCK II VARIANTS, AND 700 OF THE BLOCK III VARIANTS. WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE YOU ASK? THE BLOCK IIs GO BOOM, aka KINETIC. WHILE THE BLOCK IIIs DO NOT, aka NON-KINETIC. SO LET’S BREAK IT DOWN, WE’LL START WITH THE BLOCK TWOS.
IN THE SIMPLEST TERMS, THE BLOCK TWO IS A DRONE KILLER. OF THE LESSONS BEING LEARNED DURING RUSSIA’S INVASION OF UKRAINE, DRONE WARFARE IS AT THE TOP OF THE LIST.
EVEN CHEAP, SIMPLY-MADE DRONES HAVE TO BE DEALTH WITH, OFTEN TIMES AT THE EXPENSE OF SURFACE-TO-AIR MISSILES THAT COST UPWARDS OF SEVEN FIGURES MORE THAN THE DEVICE THEY’RE ELIMINATING. ACCORDING TO MULTIPLE REPORTS, THE UNIT PRICE FOR A COYOTE IS AROUND $100,000, MAKING IT A BARGAIN BY COMPARISON. WHEN LAUNCHED THE BLOCK II USES A RADAR SEEKER TO HONE IN ON ITS TARGET, AND IT’S CLOSE ENOUGH TO GET THE JOB DONE, IT GOES BOOM, HOPEFULLY KNOCKING IT’S TARGET OUT OF THE SKY.
AS FOR THE BLOCK III, WHILE NOT MUCH IS KNOWN ABOUT IT’S TECHNICAL SPECIFICS JUST YET, THE “NON-KINETIC” DESCRIPTOR WOULD INDICATE THAT IT CAN BE USED TO ENGAGE MULTIPLE TARGETS AT THE SAME TIME LIKELY USES ELECTRONIC MEANS TO TAKE OUT THE TARGET. ONE OTHER NOTABLE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE TWO VERSIONS, THE BLOCK II IS ESSENTIALLY A ONE-TIME USE, WHILE THE BLOCK III CAN BE RECOVERED AND EVENTUALLY RE-USED.
BOTH VERSIONS OF THE COYOTE ARE FAIRLY MOBILE. THEY CAN BE FIRED FROM GROUND VEHICLES, HELICOPTERS, AND SURFACE VESSELS, OR FROM FIXED POSITIONS AS WELL. WHEN IT COMES TO HITTING THE ROAD, THE ARMY USES THE CURRENT COYOTE SYSTEM MOUNTED TO A MINE-RESISTANT AMBUSH PROTECTED VEHICLE, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE OSHKOSH M-ATV. THE VEHICLE CHOSEN TO ULTIMATELY REPLACE THE LONG-SERVING HUMVEE.
OF COURSE, IT WOULDN’T BE A MILITARY PURCHASE IF THERE WERE’NT A FEW EXTRAS INVOLVED. IN THIS CASE THE ARMY IS ALSO PICKING-UP 252 FIXED LAUNCHERS, 52 MOBILE LAUNCHERS, 118 FIXED KU-BAND RADARS AND 33 MOBILE RADARS.
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