US Army conducts the first flight of new Hellhound S3 turbojet kamikaze drone in Georgia.

As reported by The Georgia Virtue on March 24, 2025, the Hellhound S3, a turbojet-powered, 3D-printed kamikaze drone developed by Cummings Aerospace, completed its first flight on a U.S. Army test range. The system, designated Hellhound S3, conducted a GPS-guided mission using an inert warhead payload at Fort Moore, Georgia, on January 30, 2025, during the Army Expeditionary Warrior Experiment (AEWE) 2025. According to the company, the drone met all primary mission objectives, and the demonstration revalidated the airframe and its key subsystems at Technology Readiness Level 7 (TRL-7), confirming operational reliability in a tactically relevant environment.
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The design of the Hellhound S3 incorporates modular payload bays that can be configured for different mission profiles, including explosive warheads, electronic warfare payloads, and Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) modules. (Picture source: Cummings Aerospace)

The Hellhound S3 is designed as a man-portable unmanned aircraft system (UAS) for use by Infantry Brigade Combat Teams (IBCTs). It is intended to provide capabilities for long-range, precision strikes against armored vehicles, tanks, and fortified positions. The platform integrates a turbojet propulsion system and demonstrated a speed of 384 miles per hour (around 618 km/h) during tests held in early January 2025. The drone weighs less than 25 pounds in its all-up configuration, including the vehicle, launch canister, and ground control unit. This weight allows for single-person transport and launch, increasing potential deployment options for infantry units.

The design of the Hellhound S3 incorporates modular payload bays that can be configured for different mission profiles, including explosive warheads, electronic warfare payloads, and Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) modules. According to the manufacturer, field personnel can reconfigure the payload in less than five minutes without tools. The system is constructed using 3D printing and commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) components approved by the U.S. Department of Defense. This combination is intended to reduce production costs and simplify logistical support.

The first flight for the U.S. Army follows 12 previous flight tests conducted over the last two years, which focused on establishing the drone’s core flight and operational capabilities. Cummings Aerospace plans additional flight tests in the coming months to bring the full Hellhound system to TRL-7 across all components. The company intends to formally submit the Hellhound S3 for consideration under the U.S. Army’s Low Altitude Stalking and Strike Ordnance (LASSO) program. Additional demonstrations and testing for other government and defense sector customers are also scheduled.

The Hellhound S3 has been engineered specifically to meet the U.S. Army’s LASSO program requirements, which seek loitering munition systems for IBCTs capable of executing long-range precision strikes. The drone’s loitering function is designed to support target acquisition and engagement beyond line of sight. Its modular design is structured to allow for future adjustments in payload types and operational profiles. According to the company, this structure also supports scalability for use by other military branches or allied forces as requirements evolve.

As previously reported by Army Recognition, Cummings Aerospace recently announced a collaboration with ATRX, a propulsion technology firm based in Huntsville, Alabama. The partnership is focused on developing a high-speed unmanned aerial vehicle using the Hellhound airframe and ATRX’s Air Turbo Rocket (ATR) propulsion system. The planned drone is intended to function as a hypersonic variant of the Hellhound family. The ATR propulsion system, described by ATRX as a Multi-Mode Combined Cycle Propulsion Engine (also referred to as Overjet), uses a rocket-type gas generator to overdrive a turbojet engine. The ATR engine is claimed to produce approximately 40% more thrust than a comparably sized afterburning turbojet.

The hypersonic variant is expected to retain the modular, 3D-printed construction and COTS component approach. It is being developed for missions requiring short bursts of high thrust, including rapid acceleration and steep climbs. ATRX states that its propulsion technology has potential applications not only in military drones but also in space launch systems. As part of the collaboration, the companies are planning a first vertically launched flight test of the hypersonic drone within the next 18 to 24 months. This initial test platform is expected to be up to 12 times larger than the Hellhound S3, which is currently developed for the LASSO competition.

Future development cycles for the hypersonic variant are scheduled to occur every 18 to 24 months, incorporating increased technical complexity. According to Cummings Aerospace, the purpose of the collaboration is to address operational requirements for faster and longer-range UAS systems, particularly for contested environments. ATRX CEO Felix Bustos III stated that the partnership will also support testing of the ATR engine for its Hummingbird spaceplane concept, which is intended to assist with the deployment of a large number of commercial satellites.

If the program advances as planned, Cummings Aerospace and ATRX could provide low-cost hypersonic drones to U.S. and allied military customers. Such drones, with speeds potentially exceeding Mach 5, could be used to target high-value and time-sensitive objectives, including mobile missile launchers and advanced air defense systems. These systems form part of anti-access/area denial (A2/AD) strategies maintained by countries such as China and Russia. Due to their speed and maneuverability, drones of this type could be difficult to intercept using current air defense systems. Additionally, the option to deploy these drones from air, sea, or sub-surface platforms would expand operational flexibility in regions with contested airspace.