Tucson – – October 12, 2026 -- Raytheon, an RTX (NYSE: RTX) business, completed three developmental tests of its Coyote Block 2C+RM interceptor upgrades, taking the program from concept to testing in 15 months. The company funded the test events itself.
Raytheon funds upgrades for an urgent joint U.S. military counter-drone mission
The tests support a joint U.S. military mission to counter evolving drone threats. The Block 2C+RM upgrade builds on current Coyote variants, which have intercepted hundreds of drones in combat.
Upgrade adds rocket motor, new seeker and new warhead
Block 2C+RM integrates a rocket motor for faster launch and flight. It also adds a new seeker and warhead designed to defeat all classes of current and emerging drone threats.
First launches of a rocket-motor Coyote effector mark the test series
The initial series included several first-of-its-kind events. Raytheon confirmed initial integration with the current counter-drone architecture. It also conducted the first launches of a Coyote effector equipped with a tactical rocket motor, intended to shorten threat engagement times and enable faster successive shots.
Tom Laliberty, president of Land & Air Defense Systems at Raytheon, said a common backbone lets the company scale the Coyote family across counter-drone missions. He described the upgrades as giving service members a "decisive advantage on the battlefield."