As geopolitical tensions rise and modern warfare becomes increasingly reliant on unmanned aerial systems (UAS), the U.S. Navy is taking decisive steps to enhance its defensive capabilities. The upcoming deployment of the USS Gerald R. Ford supercarrier will mark a significant milestone, as its accompanying Arleigh Burke-class destroyers will be armed with Raytheon Coyote and Anduril Roadrunner-M counter-drone loitering interceptors. This move signals a shift toward integrating advanced drone-based defenses into traditional naval strike groups, addressing growing threats from adversarial drone swarms and missile attacks.
Recent conflicts have underscored the increasing role of drones in modern combat. Since October 2023, Iranian-backed Houthi militants have launched long-range kamikaze drones, as well as cruise and ballistic missiles, at foreign warships, commercial vessels, and targets in Israel. These attacks have exposed critical vulnerabilities in conventional naval defense systems, necessitating cost-effective and scalable countermeasures.
The Navy’s decision to deploy Coyote and Roadrunner-M on its Arleigh Burke-class destroyers stems from lessons learned in countering these threats in the Red Sea. Traditional missile-based defenses, such as the Standard Missile (SM) series and Evolved Sea Sparrow Missiles (ESSM), are highly effective but come with prohibitive costs and limited magazine depth. By integrating loitering interceptors like Coyote and Roadrunner-M, the Navy aims to bolster its layered defense approach while ensuring sustained operational effectiveness in prolonged engagements.
The Raytheon Coyote Block 2 and Anduril Roadrunner-M are jet-powered, drone-like interceptors designed to engage and neutralize enemy drones and other aerial threats. They utilize advanced sensors for target acquisition before engaging with onboard seekers. A key advantage of Roadrunner-M is its ability to return to its launch point for refueling and reuse if not expended during a mission, a feature that significantly enhances cost efficiency.
Coyote Block 2 has already proven its effectiveness in the U.S. Army’s Low, Slow, Unmanned Aircraft Integrated Defeat System (LIDS), deployed in conflict zones across the Middle East, Africa, and Europe. Similarly, Roadrunner-M has been tested in land-based applications within U.S. special operations forces. Their adaptation for naval warfare represents an evolution in maritime counter-drone capabilities.
The U.S. Navy currently operates 74 Arleigh Burke-class destroyers, each equipped with the Aegis Combat System and Mk 41 Vertical Launch Systems (VLS). While the exact method of integrating Coyote and Roadrunner-M remains undisclosed, questions persist about whether these interceptors will be directly tied into the Aegis system or deployed via standalone launchers. Raytheon and Anduril have yet to provide detailed insights, and the Navy’s Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) remains tight-lipped on the specifics.
Arleigh Burke-class destroyers are already outfitted with an array of defensive weapons, including SM-2, SM-6, and ESSM missiles, as well as RIM-116 Rolling Airframe Missiles (RAM) and Phalanx Close-In Weapon Systems (CIWS). While these systems are effective against a wide range of threats, they have limitations when dealing with mass drone swarms. The addition of Coyote and Roadrunner-M will provide an extra layer of defense, mitigating the risk of depleting expensive missile stockpiles against lower-cost drone threats.
One of the most significant advantages of deploying Coyote and Roadrunner-M is the drastic cost reduction per engagement. In recent operations, U.S. Navy warships fired a total of 120 SM-2s, 80 SM-6s, and 20 combined ESSMs and SM-3s against Houthi-launched aerial threats. The cost of these missiles is staggering: SM-2s cost approximately $2.5 million per unit, SM-6s range from $4.27 million, and SM-3 variants cost between $12.5 million and $28.7 million.
By contrast, the Coyote Block 2 costs around $100,000 per unit, and the Roadrunner-M is priced in the low hundreds of thousands. These loitering munitions provide a financially viable alternative for engaging drone threats without exhausting high-cost missile reserves. With adversaries increasingly leveraging cheap drone swarms that cost as little as $50,000 per unit, a cost-effective defense mechanism is imperative for long-term naval strategy.
Incorporating Coyote and Roadrunner-M onto destroyers extends magazine depth, a critical factor in prolonged engagements. Traditional missile-based defenses, though effective, are limited by onboard storage capacity. In contrast, loitering interceptors can be launched preemptively and repositioned dynamically, providing real-time engagement flexibility.
Additionally, these systems contribute to the Navy’s multi-layered defense strategy by offering various engagement options:
- Kinetic intercept: Directly destroying hostile drones through high-speed impact.
- Electronic warfare (EW) payloads: Disrupting enemy drone communication and navigation systems, enabling “soft kills.”
- Persistent surveillance: Providing real-time intelligence on aerial threats before they enter engagement range.
The Roadrunner-M’s recoverability feature further enhances operational efficiency, reducing the logistical strain of resupply operations at sea.
While the deployment of Coyote and Roadrunner-M on Arleigh Burke-class destroyers represents a crucial advancement, it is only part of the Navy’s broader counter-drone strategy. The service is actively exploring new technologies.
- Directed energy weapons (DEWs): High-energy lasers capable of disabling drones at minimal cost per shot.
- Advanced electronic warfare suites: Systems designed to jam or hijack adversary drones.
- Networked decoy systems: Deployable countermeasures to mislead incoming drone swarms.
Additionally, the Navy is evaluating the use of the AGM-179 Joint Air-to-Ground Missile (JAGM) for counter-drone operations. Lockheed Martin has proposed integrating JAGM launchers onto Arleigh Burke-class destroyers, further diversifying their anti-drone arsenal.
The Navy’s push to enhance counter-drone capabilities is driven not only by immediate threats in the Middle East but also by broader concerns over U.S. military readiness in the Pacific. In 2023, the head of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command (INDOPACOM) warned that engagements in the Red Sea and continued support for Ukraine were straining missile stockpiles. With tensions rising between the U.S. and China, ensuring adequate missile reserves for potential conflicts in the Indo-Pacific is a growing priority.
Despite these concerns, senior Navy officials have reassured commanders that they should focus on defending their ships rather than the cost of expended munitions. Vice Adm. Brendan McLane, head of Naval Surface Forces, emphasized at the Surface Navy Association conference in January: “The cost of the missile that they are going to shoot is not one of the things that they are worried about.”
As adversaries continue to develop and deploy increasingly sophisticated drone threats, the U.S. Navy’s integration of Coyote and Roadrunner-M represents a proactive step in adapting to modern warfare. These systems provide cost-effective, scalable, and flexible defense solutions, enhancing the survivability and operational longevity of U.S. warships.
The deployment of these loitering interceptors on Arleigh Burke-class destroyers is a crucial move toward broader naval modernization efforts. Whether through additional drone-based countermeasures, directed energy weapons, or enhanced electronic warfare capabilities, the Navy’s investment in layered defenses will be essential in maintaining maritime superiority in the face of evolving threats.
