Raytheon, part of US defence group RTX, said on 13 October 2026 that it “was awarded $729 million to deliver critical components of the LIDS counter-drone system to the U.S. Army, Qatar and Jordan” [1]. The company said these are “the first international sales of KuRFS and Coyote”, the radar and interceptor at the heart of the system [1].
What LIDS, KuRFS and Coyote are
LIDS stands for “Low, slow, small, unmanned aircraft Integrated Defeat System” [1]. In plain English, it is a package for finding and stopping small drones: the kind that fly low and slowly and are hard for traditional air defences to spot. It is a key part of a US Army programme of the same name.
KuRFS, the “Ku-band Radio Frequency Sensor”, is the radar. Raytheon says it gives “advanced 360-degree threat detection” [1], meaning it watches the sky in every direction for incoming drones.
Coyote is the part that does the stopping. Raytheon calls Coyote an “effector”, military jargon for whatever actually deals with a threat. It describes Coyote as “low-cost kinetic and non-kinetic effectors” that “defeat individual drones as well as swarms” [1]. Kinetic means physically hitting or destroying a target; non-kinetic means disabling it in other ways, without a direct hit.
Raytheon says the Coyote interceptors have achieved “hundreds of intercepts in combat” [1]. That is the company’s own claim; the release gives no further detail.
What the deal covers
According to Raytheon, the deal “includes a mix of fixed-site and mobile configurations for LIDS” [1]: some systems are installed to protect a fixed location, others can move with troops. The release does not say how the $729 million is divided between the three customers or when deliveries will happen.
What Raytheon said
Tom Laliberty, president of Land and Air Defense Systems at Raytheon, said: “LIDS provides a proven and cost-effective layer of defense that ensures allied forces have the protection they need against hostile drones” [1].
He added: “To stay ahead of rapidly evolving drone threats, Raytheon is accelerating production of the Coyote family of effectors — delivering a uniquely scalable, battle-tested solution that meets the surge in global demand” [1].
RTX says it is investing to expand production and to add new technology to Coyote. The planned upgrades include “faster launch times, higher speeds and greater range at higher altitudes” [1].
What this means
- Counter-drone kit is now an export product. These are the first sales of KuRFS and Coyote outside the US, according to Raytheon.
- Cheap interceptors matter. Drones are inexpensive, so defenders want low-cost ways to stop them, and Raytheon pitches Coyote on cost.
- Some details are missing. The release gives no per-country split, quantities or delivery timetable.
Related stories
- CHAOS Industries Unveils VESPID, a Family of Very Low-Cost Interceptors Against Drones
- Teledyne FLIR Launches Ranger R10-3DX Compact Counter-Drone Radar at AUSA 2026
- UK Government Names Kuwait as the Buyer of a £370 Million MARSS Air Defence System, and Says It Will Create 100 UK Jobs
Sources
- RTX / Raytheon, “RTX’s Raytheon awarded $729 million in counter-drone contracts for U.S., Qatar, and Jordan”, PR Newswire, Tucson, 13 October 2026. https://raytheon.mediaroom.com/2026-10-13-RTXs-Raytheon-awarded-729-million-in-counter-drone-contracts-for-U-S-,-Qatar,-and-Jordan
