Anduril Industriesa California-based defense technology and weapons manufacturer, has obtained a $250 million contract with the United States Department of Defense to provide advanced air defense capabilities. As part of this contract, Anduril will deliver more than 500 Roadrunner-M and additional capabilities electronic warfare Press so that US forces can defend themselves against attacks by unmanned aerial systems. Deliveries will begin in the fourth quarter of 2024 and will continue until the end of 2025according to Anduril.
The Roadrunner-M system, Correcaminos in Spanish, from Anduril is a interceptor VTOL (Vertical Take Off Landing or Vertical Take Off and Landing) high explosive power which was presented last year. It has been developed to quickly intercept and neutralize UAS threats with great speed, maneuverability and cost efficiency. Roadrunner-M went from a project to a combat-validated and ready solution in less than two years, a much faster process than with most defense contracts.
US Army to Deploy This Next Generation of Counter-Drone Defense Capabilities, Including Pulsar Family of AI-Enabled Electronic Warfare Systemsin priority regions where US forces face significant UAS threats.
Roadrunner-M, the world’s first recoverable explosive weapon
Roadrunner is a AAV (Autonomous Air Vehicle) modular with twin turbojet engines that offers extraordinary performance at low cost, according to the manufacturer. Vertical takeoff and landing capability gives you the flexibility to launch from any location and return quicklycombining high subsonic speed with exceptional maneuverability and stability.
This is an AAV designed for the future. The modular payload system can carry a variety of payloads to fulfill a wide range of missions and can be constantly updated to meet future threats.
Roadrunner has two variants: Roadrunner for use in civil missions such as fire detection and extinguishing, and Roadrunner-M, intended for military use. This ground air defense interceptor can rapidly identify, intercept and destroy aerial threats that are up to 100 times more costly, or be recovered and reused at almost zero cost.
Anduril has rated this drone as the world’s first recoverable explosive weapon. The Roadrunner-M can take off, track and intercept distant targets at the first sign of danger, giving operators more information and time to assess the target.
If there is no need to destroy it, Roadrunner-M can return to base and land at a predesignated location for immediate resupply and reuse. If the target needs to be destroyed, Roadrunner-M can also do so quickly, but Unlike traditional missile systems, any launched Roadrunner that does not complete the attack can be reused. This approach enables large-scale defensive launches at low cost and improves the ability to engage multiple targets simultaneously.
According to Anduril, Roadrunner-M innovations include faster launch and takeoff times, three times the warhead payload capacity, ten times the effective single-course range, and three times the G-force maneuverability compared to offerings. similar on the market.