Raytheon's KuRFS and Coyote defeat UAS targets during US Army test.

Raytheon, an RTX business, successfully demonstrated the capabilities of the Low, slow, small-unmanned aircraft Integrated Defense System, or LIDS, during the U.S. Army's annual summer test period. Joining U.S. Army officials were representatives from a number of international allied ground forces who attended to witness the test events firsthand.
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Raytheon's Ku-band Radio Frequency Sensor, known as KuRFS, and the Coyote family of effectors provide the essential detect and defeat capabilities of LIDS, the Army's go-to counter-drone solution (Picture source: Raytheon)

Raytheon's Ku-band Radio Frequency Sensor, known as KuRFS, and the Coyote family of effectors provide the essential detect and defeat capabilities of LIDS, the Army's go-to counter-drone solution.

Building on similar success at the Army's 2021 and 2022 summer test periods, KuRFS and Coyote proved effective again this year, meeting all test requirements against high-speed, maneuvering targets. "This marks another milestone in the proven track record of success and performance of our counter-UAS capabilities," said Tom Laliberty, president of Land & Air Defense Systems at Raytheon. "As the threat of unmanned systems continues to grow, the performance and reliability of a complete C-UAS system is critical – and we remain committed to the continuous improvement of these systems to provide our customers with an effective solution to stay ahead of the threat."

The persistent, 360-degree KuRFS radar excelled in a stress test successfully detecting and tracking a complex swarm of more than 30 unmanned aircraft vehicles. Coyote defeated several targets, singles and swarms, demonstrating reduced engagement timelines to defeat multiple threats. The tests validated the recent hardware and software enhancements made to both systems, to optimize capability and performance.

International interest in the systems is high, with several allied countries requesting information and briefings. The U.S. Army is currently bolstering its counter-drone defenses with LIDS, awarding Raytheon an October 2022 contract to equip two Army divisions with LIDS, followed by a contract for an additional quantity of fixed site and mobile LIDS systems awarded earlier this year to further support the U.S. Army's Central Command. A third contract was recently awarded, intended to equip a third Army division.

Raytheon has developed the enabling technologies, as well as complete and customizable systems, that enable military and civilian customers to defeat complex UAS threats in any environment. The company has developed integrated, high-performing sensors and cost-effective kinetic and non-kinetic effectors that allow customers to select the right effectors against a range of threats and defeat threats more efficiently.

Defense News October 2023