The new drone, named Coyote LE SR, belongs to a family of “launched effects” that can be deployed from air, ground, or sea platforms. It offers a wide range of capabilities including surveillance, electronic warfare, precision strike, and battlefield communications.
This latest model builds on the combat-proven performance of previous Coyote versions, which have intercepted hundreds of enemy drones in live operations. The addition of reconnaissance and targeting functions aims to enhance frontline effectiveness.
Tom Laliberty, president of Land and Air Defense Systems at Raytheon, highlighted the system’s value: “Building on Coyote’s combat-proven capabilities, this new variant will provide a significant battlefield advantage. The Coyote LE SR is a low-cost, flexible system that equips troops with a new tool to outpace constantly evolving threats.”
A key feature of the Coyote LE SR is its use of collaborative autonomy, enabling it to work in coordination with nearby sensors and systems. This allows the drone to adapt its actions in real-time, improving mission success through better situational awareness.
The successful helicopter launch is one of several planned demonstrations of the system’s expanded capabilities. Further testing is scheduled to continue throughout 2025.
