Raid Hunter combines Northrop Grumman’s Chain Gun technology with precision-guided 50mm ammunition and a networked, interoperable system controller. The architecture is designed to engage mixed aerial raids involving cruise missiles, unmanned aircraft and other advanced threats.
The system pairs guided ammunition with a high-rate-of-fire gun, deep magazines and fast reloads. Northrop Grumman said the combination is intended to provide a cost-effective means of countering massed threats that could strain traditional air defense systems.
“Raid Hunter addresses a critical short-range defense gap by delivering rapid, high-capacity protection against complex, mass aerial threats like cruise missiles and drone swarms. It provides warfighters with a cost-effective, flexible tool to decisively defeat evolving threats now and in the future—strengthening the security of vital bases and infrastructure,” said Kenn Todorov, vice president and general manager, command and control & weapons integration, Northrop Grumman.
Mobility is another element of the system’s design, with Raid Hunter built around a modular, palletized configuration for rapid transport aboard C-130 aircraft. Northrop Grumman also plans vehicle-mounted and container-based variants to expand the system’s potential operational use.
The company said Raid Hunter is optimized to engage large numbers of aerial threats that could otherwise saturate defensive networks. Its intended target set includes high-priority cruise missiles, unmanned aerial systems and other advanced aerial threats.
Raid Hunter joins Northrop Grumman’s broader Raid Defense Solutions portfolio of counter-UAS and air defense systems. The portfolio combines kinetic capabilities with AI-enabled command and control, sensor fusion and high-rate firepower to support layered defense architectures.
Northrop Grumman is continuing to work with government and allied partners to mature Raid Hunter. Testing planned throughout the year is intended to further validate system performance and support accelerated fielding.
