{ "archive_path": "archive/1791842689.0178", "base_url": "www.twz.com/land/new-coyote-anti-drone-interceptor-swaps-jet-engine-for-rocket-power", "basename": "new-coyote-anti-drone-interceptor-swaps-jet-engine-for-rocket-power", "bookmarked_date": "2026-10-12 22:04", "canonical": { "archive_org_path": "https://web.archive.org/web/www.twz.com/land/new-coyote-anti-drone-interceptor-swaps-jet-engine-for-rocket-power", "dom_path": "output.html", "favicon_path": "favicon.ico", "git_path": "git/", "google_favicon_path": "https://www.google.com/s2/favicons?domain=www.twz.com", "headers_path": "headers.json", "htmltotext_path": "htmltotext.txt", "index_path": "index.html", "media_path": "media/", "mercury_path": "mercury/content.html", "pdf_path": "output.pdf", "readability_path": "readability/content.html", "screenshot_path": "screenshot.png", "singlefile_path": "singlefile.html", "warc_path": "warc/", "wget_path": "www.twz.com/land/new-coyote-anti-drone-interceptor-swaps-jet-engine-for-rocket-power.html" }, "domain": "www.twz.com", "extension": "", "hash": "Q4K0PP894EM6F51QEBDD", "history": { "archive_org": [], "dom": [], "favicon": [ { "cmd": [ "curl", "--silent", "--location", "--compressed", "--max-time", "120", "--output", "favicon.ico", "--user-agent", "Mozilla/5.0 (Macintosh; Intel Mac OS X 10_15_7) AppleWebKit/537.36 (KHTML, like Gecko) Chrome/118.0.0.0 Safari/537.36 ArchiveBox/0.7.4 (+https://github.com/ArchiveBox/ArchiveBox/) curl/curl 8.14.1 (x86_64-pc-linux-gnu)", "https://www.google.com/s2/favicons?domain=www.twz.com" ], "cmd_version": "curl 8.14.1 (x86_64-pc-linux-gnu)", "end_ts": "2026-10-13T01:37:42.475162+00:00", "index_texts": null, "output": "favicon.ico", "pwd": "/data/archive/1791842689.0178", "schema": "ArchiveResult", "start_ts": "2026-10-13T01:37:41.854858+00:00", "status": "succeeded" } ], "git": [], "headers": [ { "cmd": [ "curl", "--silent", "--location", "--compressed", "--head", "--max-time", "120", "--user-agent", "Mozilla/5.0 (Macintosh; Intel Mac OS X 10_15_7) AppleWebKit/537.36 (KHTML, like Gecko) Chrome/118.0.0.0 Safari/537.36 ArchiveBox/0.7.4 (+https://github.com/ArchiveBox/ArchiveBox/) curl/curl 8.14.1 (x86_64-pc-linux-gnu)", "https://www.twz.com/land/new-coyote-anti-drone-interceptor-swaps-jet-engine-for-rocket-power" ], "cmd_version": "curl 8.14.1 (x86_64-pc-linux-gnu)", "end_ts": "2026-10-13T01:37:43.072876+00:00", "index_texts": null, "output": "headers.json", "pwd": "/data/archive/1791842689.0178", "schema": "ArchiveResult", "start_ts": "2026-10-13T01:37:42.486375+00:00", "status": "succeeded" } ], "htmltotext": [], "media": [], "mercury": [ { "cmd": [ "/app/node_modules/@postlight/parser/cli.js", "https://www.twz.com/land/new-coyote-anti-drone-interceptor-swaps-jet-engine-for-rocket-power" ], "cmd_version": "1.0.0", "end_ts": "2026-10-13T01:38:09.879916+00:00", "index_texts": null, "output": "mercury", "pwd": "/data/archive/1791842689.0178", "schema": "ArchiveResult", "start_ts": "2026-10-13T01:38:05.661390+00:00", "status": "succeeded" } ], "pdf": [], "readability": [ { "cmd": [ "/app/node_modules/readability-extractor/readability-extractor", "/tmp/tmp24c_db9u", "https://www.twz.com/land/new-coyote-anti-drone-interceptor-swaps-jet-engine-for-rocket-power" ], "cmd_version": "0.0.11", "end_ts": "2026-10-13T01:38:05.647548+00:00", "index_texts": [ "Raytheon is developing a new iteration of its Coyote Block 2 counter-drone interceptor powered by a solid rocket motor rather than a small jet engine. This pushes the Block 2C+RM version, which also comes with a new seeker and warhead, into the surface-to-air missile side of the interceptor spectrum. With a significant boost in speed, range, and terminal intercept performance, it is designed to address evolving one-way-attack drone threats. The Coyote Block 2 series is already a combat-proven system, with more than 600 kills in the course of operational U.S. military deployments to date.\n\n\n\nThe unveiling of the Coyote Block 2C+RM came today around the start of the Association of the U.S. Army\u2019s (AUSA) main annual convention, at which TWZ is in attendance. The rocket-powered version has been in the works for some 15 months now, and three successful live test launches have been conducted. That followed static test fires of the new rocket motor, which an unnamed subcontractor is supplying, and other testing. \n\n\n\nA look at the general design of existing jet-powered Block 2-series Coyote interceptors. Joseph Trevithick \n\n\n\nThe Pentagon and the U.S. Army have been engaged with Raytheon (now formally RTX) on the development of the Block 2C+RM, but whether there are formal U.S. military contracts to buy this version now is unclear. The U.S. Army is the largest known operator of Coyote Block 2-series interceptors now, with previously stated plans to buy at least 6,000 of them between Fiscal Years 2025 and 2029. We will come back to this later on.\n\n\n\nAs mentioned, existing versions of Coyote Block 2 are powered by a turbojet engine. A small rocket booster is also used to launch these interceptors, but does not propel them through the entire course of their flight.\n\n\n\nA side-by-side comparison of an earlier rocket-boosted, jet-powered Coyote Block 2, at left, and the new Block 2C+RM version, at right. Raytheon \n\n\n\nWith the rocket motor, \u201cyou get upgraded propulsion for faster launch and higher velocity flight,\u201d Tom Laliberty, President of Land & Air Defense Systems at Raytheon, told TWZ and other outlets during a press call last week ahead of today\u2019s announcement. \u201cIn terms of range and so forth, I can\u2019t really get into any specifics about that, for obvious reasons.\u201d\n\n\n\n\u201cWhat I would just say is it\u2019s significant in terms of the range difference, and in the [sic] what I call end-game capabilities of the missile, where velocity might come into play,\u201d he added. \u201cThen with the seeker [and] warhead [upgrades], it really gets after the sort of more cutting-edge drone capabilities that we\u2019re seeing from the adversary.\u201d\n\n\n\nLaliberty also did not elaborate on the specific improvements to the seeker or warhead. Existing Block 2-series Coyotes use on-board radio frequency seekers to find their targets in the terminal phase of flight after first being cued via radars and other sensors on the ground. They also carry blast-fragmentation warheads.\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\tRaytheon Missiles & Defense proves counter-UAS effectiveness against enemy drones\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\n\n\n\n\nDuring last week\u2019s call, Laliberty was asked about whether new faster-flying jet-powered one-way-attack drones, like Iran\u2019s Shahed 238 and Russia\u2019s Geran-4 and -5 derivatives, had prompted Block 2C+RM\u2019s development. He was also queried about Block 2C+RM\u2019s ability to defeat traditional cruise missiles. \n\n\n\nA jet-powered Shahed 238 kamikaze drone, or a mockup thereof. Iranian State Media \n\n\n\n\u201cUnfortunately, I can\u2019t get into the specific threats, but I can tell you the intention is to have this cover all types of Class 3 drones,\u201d he said in response. \u201cIf you think about the Class 3 drone kind of \u2018spectrum,\u2019 there\u2019s a pretty good overlap there with the capabilities of cruise missiles, as well, right? So it all depends on the specific[s] of the cruise missile.\u201d\n\n\n\nThe U.S. military defines Group 3 drones, whether they are weaponized or not, as designs that weigh anywhere from 56 to 1,320 pounds, are able to fly up to an altitude of 18,000 feet, and reach a top speed of no more than 250 knots. The Shahed 238\u2019s combustion engine-powered predecessor, the Shahed 236, is a prime example of a Group 3 kamikaze drone. The claimed top speeds of the jet-powered derivatives (approximately 270 to 320 knots) actually push the upper boundaries of this broad middle-tier category. TWZ regularly highlights the additional challenges that jet-powered kamikaze drones like the Shahed 238 and Geran-4/5 present. We also routinely note how the line between longer-range one-way-attack drones and cruise missiles has become increasingly blurry. The Block 2C+RM itself also further blurs the definition between a drone-like counter-drone interceptor and a more traditional surface-to-air missile.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nRFE/RL takes apart a Russian Geran-4 drone to uncover what makes the jet-powered unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) faster, harder to intercept, and capable of operating deep inside Ukraine \u2014 from its turbojet engine and advanced camera to foreign-made communications and navigation\u2026 pic.twitter.com/WGNdlpS9w1\u2014 Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (@RFERL) September 25, 2026\n\n\n\n\n\nThe conflict with Iran, as well as other crises in the Middle East in recent years and the ongoing war in Ukraine, make clear that even slower-flying Group 3 kamikaze drones present real dangers now. Those threats are magnified when these one-way attacks are employed in large volumes and/or in complex attacks mixed in with ballistic and cruise missiles.\n\n\n\nAs noted, Raytheon has highlighted how Coyote Block 2C+RM also has a faster overall response time compared to its predecessors, offering additional flexibility for engaging incoming waves of drones. The new version also works with all existing four- and eight-cell launchers, which can be variously mounted on vehicles and static positions on the ground, as well as on ships.\n\n\n\nAs mentioned earlier, the U.S. Army is the primary operator of Coyote Block 2s today, with the interceptors being used in both vehicle-based and palletized versions of its Low, Slow, Unmanned Aircraft Integrated Defeat System (LIDS). The U.S. Air Force has also been at least involved in the operation of fixed-site versions of LIDS at forward-deployed locations. The U.S. Navy has integrated launchers for Coyote Block 2s on several Arleigh Burke class destroyers, as well.\n\n\n\nA promotional shot showing the fixed-site version of the LIDS launcher and radar components, as well as a vehicle-based version of LIDS in between. Raytheon A promotional shot showing the FS-LIDS launcher and radar components, as well as an M-LIDS vehicle in the middle. Raytheon\n\n\n\nAn annotated image showing an eight-cell Coyote anti-drone interceptor launcher on the US Navy\u2019s Arleigh Burke class destroyer USS Carl M. Levin. This is a new type of naval launcher that first emerged earlier this year. USN \n\n\n\nIt\u2019s also worth noting here that Coyote is generally described as a lower-cost interceptor, with a unit cost reported in the past to be around $100,000. How the new rocket-powered version will compare to existing types price-wise is unclear, but this is an increasingly important factor for the U.S. military and others, especially when considering the cost curve against the expected target set. As an example, the estimated cost of a Shahed 236 is in the $50,000 range.\n\n\n\nTo be clear, Coyote Block 2C+RM is still in development, and when it might start to enter operational service with any user remains to be seen. \n\n\n\n\u201cWe\u2019ve got additional tests scheduled into the first half of next year, and we\u2019re working with the Department of War,\u201d Raytheon\u2019s Laliberty said last week. \u201cWe\u2019ve got an ongoing investment from Raytheon, but now essentially received some government sponsorship as it kind of transitions into the program of record, and that\u2019s still kind of ongoing with the Department of War in terms of how all of that is going to be structured. Certainly, in follow-on contracts for Coyote, this can be cut in.\u201d\n\n\n\nRaytheon has no plans to stop producing jet-powered Block 2 versions, either, at least for now. Beyond the U.S. military, there are now contractors to supply these interceptors to Qatar and Jordan.\n\n\n\nAnother picture of a Coyote Block 2-series interceptor being built at Raytheon. Raytheon \n\n\n\nThe Block 2 series is just one part of the larger and still growing Coyote family of drones. A separate series of Coyote Block 3 drones, which evolved from the original electric motor-driven pusher propeller Block 1 design, is also steadily expanding. This includes versions configured as loitering munitions and as counter-drone interceptors carrying still unidentified \u201cnon-kinetic\u201d payloads. The U.S. Army is already in the process of acquiring Block 3 types in addition to Block 2 interceptors. \n\n\n\nA pusher-propeller Coyote Block 3NK non-kinetic interceptor seen being launched with the help of a rocket booster. Raytheon \n\n\n\nAs an aside, the U.S.-based subsidiary of Germany\u2019s Rheinmetall is currently competing in the Army\u2019s XM30 Mechanized Infantry Combat Vehicle (MICV) competition with a design that will be capable of employing Coyote Block 3. The launchers on American Rheinmetall\u2019s Lynx-based XM30 offering will also be able to fire anti-tank guided missiles like the TOW and Javelin. You can read more about the XM30 competition and the other design in the running, General Dynamics Land Systems\u2019 Wolf, here.\n\n\n\nMore broadly speaking, Coyote Block 2C+RM will be entering a hugely expanding market space for lower-tier and lower-cost counter-drone interceptors globally. The U.S. Army alone is already pursuing several new lower-tier anti-air interceptors to expand its capabilities against Group 3 drones, as well as other types of uncrewed threats and cruise missiles.\n\n\n\nIf nothing else, the newly unveiled Coyote Block 2C+RM reflects continued high demand, broadly speaking, for new interceptors, and more of them, to address ever-more capable longer-range kamikaze drones.\n\n\n\nContact the author: joe@twz.com" ], "output": "readability", "pwd": "/data/archive/1791842689.0178", "schema": "ArchiveResult", "start_ts": "2026-10-13T01:38:03.613862+00:00", "status": "succeeded" } ], "screenshot": [], "singlefile": [], "title": [ { "cmd": [ "curl", "--silent", "--location", "--compressed", "--max-time", "120", "--user-agent", "Mozilla/5.0 (Macintosh; Intel Mac OS X 10_15_7) AppleWebKit/537.36 (KHTML, like Gecko) Chrome/118.0.0.0 Safari/537.36 ArchiveBox/0.7.4 (+https://github.com/ArchiveBox/ArchiveBox/) curl/curl 8.14.1 (x86_64-pc-linux-gnu)", "https://www.twz.com/land/new-coyote-anti-drone-interceptor-swaps-jet-engine-for-rocket-power" ], "cmd_version": "curl 8.14.1 (x86_64-pc-linux-gnu)", "end_ts": "2026-10-13T01:38:03.606375+00:00", "index_texts": null, "output": "New Coyote Anti-Drone Interceptor Swaps Jet Engine For Rocket Power", "pwd": "/data/archive/1791842689.0178", "schema": "ArchiveResult", "start_ts": "2026-10-13T01:38:03.560369+00:00", "status": "succeeded" } ], "wget": [ { "cmd": [ "wget", "--no-verbose", "--adjust-extension", "--convert-links", "--force-directories", "--span-hosts", "--no-parent", "-e", "robots=off", "--reject=js,mjs,woff,woff2,ttf,otf,eot,mp4,m4v,mov,webm,ogv,mkv,avi,flv", "--timeout=120", "--restrict-file-names=windows", "--page-requisites", "--user-agent=Mozilla/5.0 (Macintosh; Intel Mac OS X 10_15_7) AppleWebKit/537.36 (KHTML, like Gecko) Chrome/118.0.0.0 Safari/537.36 ArchiveBox/0.7.4 (+https://github.com/ArchiveBox/ArchiveBox/) wget/GNU Wget 1.21.3", "--compression=auto", "--timestamping", "https://www.twz.com/land/new-coyote-anti-drone-interceptor-swaps-jet-engine-for-rocket-power" ], "cmd_version": "GNU Wget 1.21.3", "end_ts": "2026-10-13T01:38:03.548316+00:00", "index_texts": null, "output": "www.twz.com/land/new-coyote-anti-drone-interceptor-swaps-jet-engine-for-rocket-power.html", "pwd": "/data/archive/1791842689.0178", "schema": "ArchiveResult", "start_ts": "2026-10-13T01:37:43.082042+00:00", "status": "succeeded" } ] }, "icons": null, "is_archived": true, "is_static": false, "latest": { "archive_org": null, "dom": null, "favicon": "favicon.ico", "git": null, "media": null, "pdf": null, "screenshot": null, "singlefile": null, "title": "New Coyote Anti-Drone Interceptor Swaps Jet Engine For Rocket Power", "warc": null, "wget": "www.twz.com/land/new-coyote-anti-drone-interceptor-swaps-jet-engine-for-rocket-power.html" }, "link_dir": "/data/archive/1791842689.0178", "newest_archive_date": "2026-10-13T01:38:05.661390+00:00", "num_failures": 0, "num_outputs": 6, "oldest_archive_date": "2026-10-13T01:37:41.854858+00:00", "path": "/land/new-coyote-anti-drone-interceptor-swaps-jet-engine-for-rocket-power", "schema": "Link", "scheme": "https", "snapshot_id": "9161bf5d-cca5-49c6-997a-78c24233344f", "sources": [ "/data/sources/1791842689-import.txt" ], "tags": ",escalation,war-wiki,pool", "tags_str": "escalation,war-wiki,pool", "timestamp": "1791842689.0178", "title": "New Coyote Anti-Drone Interceptor Swaps Jet Engine For Rocket Power", "updated": "2026-10-13T01:37:41.854268+00:00", "updated_date": "2026-10-13 01:37", "url": "https://www.twz.com/land/new-coyote-anti-drone-interceptor-swaps-jet-engine-for-rocket-power" }