The new variant, Coyote LE SR is part of a series of UAS known as LE, which can be deployed from air, ground, or sea platforms to undertake various missions. Credit: © RTX.

RTX’s Raytheon business has carried out the first launch of a new Coyote LE SR uncrewed aerial system (UAS) from a helicopter. 

The Coyote effector family is a rail-launched missile variant equipped with a boost rocket motor and a turbine engine.  

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It is designed for high-speed counter-UAS (C-UAS) and launched effects (LE) operations, stated Raytheon. 

The new variant, Coyote LE SR is part of a series of UAS known as LE, which can be deployed from air, ground, or sea platforms to undertake various missions.  

The previous versions were used as counter-drone systems, noted the company. 

Meanwhile, this new variant has been designed to conduct reconnaissance, surveillance, and target acquisition, engage in electronic warfare, execute precision strikes, and facilitate communications. 

The test, conducted at Nine Mile Training Center in Texas, US, revealed the potential for military forces to gain capabilities for detecting, identifying, locating, and defeating threats, states the company. 

Employing collaborative autonomy, the Coyote LE SR can connect with other sensors and systems in the vicinity.  

This is said to enable it to adapt its tactics in real-time, allowing for effective mission accomplishment based on immediate battlefield insights.  

Further tests of the Coyote LE SR are scheduled to continue throughout 2025.  

Raytheon Land and Air Defense Systems president Tom Laliberty said: “Building on Coyote’s combat-proven capabilities, this new variant will provide a significant battlefield advantage. 

“The Coyote LE SR is a low-cost, flexible system that equips troops with a new tool to outpace constantly evolving threats.” 

In 2024, Raytheon’s presented LE capabilities of the Coyote family at the US Army’s Experimental Demonstration Gateway Event. 

The demonstration highlighted the system’s ability to share data through modular open system architectures and mesh networks. 

The announcement follows another milestone for Raytheon, where the company displayed the first AI/machine learning-powered Radar Warning Receiver system.  

This system, designed for fourth-generation fighter jets, integrates Deepwave Digital’s computing stack with the latest embedded graphics processing unit, aiming to improve the safety of aircrew members.