#OCTOBER2024 NEWSWIRE
October 2024 counter-drone roundup. Navy CES contracts, Anduril Pentagon deal, Raytheon KuRFS demos, and Senate CCP Drones Act deliberation.
#OCTOBER2024 NEWSWIRE
Navy Awards $400M Counter-Explosive Seaborne (CES) Contracts
The U.S. Navy awarded two contracts worth approximately $400 million combined to Invariant Space and Anduril Industries for the Counter-Explosive Seaborne (CES) program. The program addresses the accelerating threat of unmanned systems to naval vessels, including drone swarms and suicide drones.
Invariant Space received $200 million to develop a distributed sensor network optimized for small-craft and fast-moving target detection. Anduril Industries received $200 million to produce the Roadrunner kinetic intercept system, a fixed-wing loitering munition designed for near-ship defense.
The CES contracts represent a significant shift in Navy procurement strategy. Rather than single-platform defense systems, the Navy is investing in distributed sensing and rapid-response kinetic interception. This aligns with broader DoD strategy to counter peer-near-peer threats in contested environments where traditional air defense systems are insufficient.
Implication: The contracts signal that the Navy views drone defense as an open-ended procurement category, not a solved problem. Expect continued funding for novel detection architectures and kinetic mitigation platforms through FY2026 and beyond.
Anduril-Pentagon Partnership: $250M Roadrunner Expansion
Separately, Anduril Industries announced a $250 million follow-on contract with U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) for scaled production of the Roadrunner autonomous interceptor. The contract covers manufacturing, logistics, and fielding support through 2025.
Roadrunner is a subsonic fixed-wing loitering munition optimized for low-altitude interception of drones and small aircraft. It operates under both autonomous and human-directed modes. CENTCOM began operational testing in late 2023 and reported favorable results against mock drone threats in synthetic exercises.
The expansion suggests Roadrunner has passed initial validation gates and is moving toward low-rate initial production (LRIP). Anduril has publicly stated it aims to produce 5000 units by end of 2025.
Note: Roadrunner does not solve detection. It requires an upstream detection system to provide targeting cues. Integration with Navy CES detection platforms or other C-UAS sensors is a prerequisite.
Raytheon KuRFS and Coyote Demo at Yuma
Raytheon Technologies conducted a live demonstration of its KuRFS radar system paired with Coyote kinetic interceptor at the Army's Yuma Proving Ground in Arizona. The demo focused on rapid detection-to-intercept cycles for small unmanned systems.
KuRFS (Ku-band Rapid Fire System) is a semi-mobile radar optimized for rapid retargeting. In the Yuma test, KuRFS detected simulated drones at ranges of 8–12 km, tracked targets through evasive maneuvers, and passed targeting data to Coyote via automated handoff.
Coyote is a small kinetic interceptor produced by RTX (formerly Raytheon), similar in concept to Roadrunner. It operates at subsonic and transonic speeds and can be air-launched or ground-launched. The Yuma demo used ground-launched intercept from approximately 5 km range.
Performance metrics: Detection-to-launch time averaged 28 seconds. No missed intercepts in 12 test runs. Weather conditions were clear to partly cloudy with light winds.
Assessment: The demo confirmed that Ku-band radar + kinetic interception is operationally feasible in controlled conditions. It does not address performance in poor weather, heavy clutter, or swarm scenarios.
Senate Deliberates Countering CCP Drones Act
The Senate Armed Services Committee advanced deliberation on the Countering CCP Drones Act, introduced in September by Senators Tom Cotton and Marco Rubio. The bill seeks to accelerate military counter-UAS procurement and establish interagency coordination for civil airspace threats.
Key provisions: - $500 million emergency supplemental for C-UAS procurement within DoD through FY2025. - Expedited acquisition authority for C-UAS systems, bypassing standard 5-year procurement timelines for 18-month emergency purchases. - Interagency working group co-chaired by DHS and DoD to coordinate civil airspace detection and mitigation. - Enhanced intelligence sharing with allied nations on drone threat signatures.
Debate centered on three points: 1. Whether emergency procurement authority conflicts with existing program structures (e.g., Army Air and Missile Defense Command programs). 2. Whether civil/military bifurcation is operationally realistic (drones don't recognize jurisdictional boundaries). 3. Whether $500 million is sufficient or constitutes underfunding.
The Committee advanced the bill to full Senate vote in late October. Passage was expected.
Significance: If enacted, the bill signals Congressional concern that current C-UAS procurement is too slow and too narrowly focused on military threats. It also signals openness to rapid acquisition of imperfect but deployable systems—a departure from traditional DoD "best available" procurement logic.
FAA Proposes Remote Identification Rule for Airspace
In related regulatory movement, the FAA published advance notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPRM) for Remote Identification (Remote ID) of unmanned systems. The proposal would require all drones operating in U.S. airspace to transmit real-time identification data (serial number, location, altitude, operator contact).
The proposal would apply to: - Commercial operators (beyond visual line of sight, BVLOS). - High-altitude operations (above 400 feet AGL). - Class B and C airspace operations.
Implementation timeline: 24 months from final rule for compliance.
Implication for C-UAS: Remote ID would simplify detection of non-compliant drones. Any drone transmitting Remote ID would be instantly traceable to operator. Drones not transmitting would immediately flag as suspect. This reduces burden on detection systems but does not eliminate it (rogue operators can disable Remote ID, and pre-existing drones may not comply).
What We Are Watching
CES Program Integration: Watch for announcement of testing partnerships between Invariant and Anduril with Navy combatant commands (e.g., U.S. 5th Fleet, 7th Fleet). Integration testing will determine if distributed sensing + kinetic intercept actually achieves operational availability.
Roadrunner Production Scale: Anduril's claim of 5000 units by end 2025 is ambitious. Watch for quarterly production updates and any supply chain delays. If production slips, it signals manufacturing challenges that may affect other kinetic C-UAS programs.
Countering CCP Drones Act Passage: Expect final Senate vote and signature by November 2024. Watch how DoD allocates the $500 million emergency supplemental—if it goes to established programs (KuRFS, Coyote, etc.), it's a traditional decision; if it funds new vendors and accelerated R&D, it signals openness to disruption.
Foreign Drone Detections: Expect continued reporting of unidentified drone activity over U.S. critical infrastructure, especially power plants and military installations. Media attention may force higher-level DoD/DHS statement on threat assessment and response posture.
Coyote Production Capacity: RTX has stated it can produce 1000+ Coyote systems annually. Watch for contracts that test this claim. If Coyote production becomes the bottleneck in a detection + mitigation chain, it becomes a strategic vulnerability.