Anduril Industries unveils Barracuda family of Autonomous Air Vehicles

The Barracuda series features advanced autonomous behaviours and software-defined capabilities, allowing it to perform a range of missions. It includes the Barracuda-M configuration, which provides an affordable and adaptable cruise missile capability. Anduril highlights the challenges faced by the United States and its allies in maintaining sufficient missile inventories to deter conflict, noting that current precision-guided munitions would be quickly depleted in a high-intensity conflict due to limited production and upgrade capabilities.

Each Barracuda variant is designed to be easily producible, with production times reduced by 50%, requiring 95% fewer tools, and 50% fewer parts than competing solutions. The Barracuda is 30% cheaper on average than other systems, enabling cost-effective large-scale deployment. Designed for hyper-scale manufacturing, Barracuda production rates can be adjusted rapidly to meet surges in demand.

The simplicity of Barracuda’s design allows it to be manufactured by the broader commercial workforce, including automotive and consumer electronics sectors, rather than relying on specialised defence manufacturing labour. Its modular design enables rapid optimisation and adaptation to evolving mission needs using commercially derived and widely available components, enhancing supply chain resilience.

Anduril’s Lattice for Mission Autonomy software powers Barracuda, enabling autonomous and collaborative behaviours that enhance survivability and effectiveness in contested environments. As a software-defined platform, Barracuda’s performance and capabilities can be continuously updated to meet changing mission requirements.

The Barracuda AAVs are compatible with a range of platforms, including fifth-generation aircraft, surface vessels, and various launch mechanisms, providing commanders with flexible deployment options. Anduril’s Barracuda is the latest effort in its mission to deliver affordable and adaptable mass production solutions to rebuild the US’s arsenal of democracy, emphasising the need for producibility, flexibility, and modularity in modern defence capabilities.