Anduril Roadrunner

Interesting platform, but it seems to me a HPM emitter would make more sense in a reusable platform.
 
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TomS said:
I guess they figure their new Roadrunner can outdo the Coyote?

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bobbymike said:
One of my favourite episodes was when He attached wings to hundreds of dynamite sticks. Wile E Coyote the inventor of the loitering munition.
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Interesting that there were two threads on the Roadrunner on the site - along with the revival of the thread on the Coyote!
 
Reaper said:
If at price point of a Shaheed 136, then we are talking...
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Probably 10x more expensive (the article implied ~$200,000), but cheaper than most any other AD missile. Basic Shahed 136 with just INS/GPS guidance are super cheap (rumored to be as little as $20,000) but also very limited in terms of target set (there are apparently versions with passive RF or IIR guidance, but these would be much more expensive and have not been documented in Ukraine yet). On the other hand, fairly cost effective against something like a Orlan10 and super cheap compared to a class 3 UAV.
 
Josh_TN said:
Probably 10x more expensive (the article implied ~$200,000), but cheaper than most any other AD missile. Basic Shahed 136 with just INS/GPS guidance are super cheap (rumored to be as little as $20,000) but also very limited in terms of target set (there are apparently versions with passive RF or IIR guidance, but these would be much more expensive and have not been documented in Ukraine yet). On the other hand, fairly cost effective against something like a Orlan10 and super cheap compared to a class 3 UAV.
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Who cares if they're $200k, they're NOT SINGLE USE like a missile is!
 
Scott Kenny said:
Who cares if they're $200k, they're NOT SINGLE USE like a missile is!
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Well they are if they take down a target. That’s why I was thinking some kind of HPM emitter would be much more useful - then you could launch a swarm of them to engage an attack and recycle them afterwards.
 
Scott Kenny said:
Okay, the Roadrunner needs to shoot down 10x Shaheeds before it pays for itself. Does that math work better for you?
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Something tells me that they did not design this thing to be cost competitive against the Shahed 136 / Geran 2 type drones. You wouldn't make it jet powered if you had those intentions.
 
bring_it_on said:
Something tells me that they did not design this thing to be cost competitive against the Shahed 136 / Geran 2 type drones. You wouldn't make it jet powered if you had those intentions.
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They need a dirt-cheap version of this:

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Like a mini Iron Dome maybe. Lose the active seeker. Maybe AESA-controlled semi-active radar with a cheap IR sensor?
 
The USN experimented with laser guided FFRs launched from F-18s and guided by sniper pods. The U.S. Army has a ground launched version it is experimenting with; I believe there are some donated to Ukraine as a kit that can be installed on vehicles as small as civilian 4x4s. There are also warhead equipped Altius 600s the army has used for C-UAV. Roadrunner seems to fall into a much higher performance region then things like Altius though; it seems perfectly capable of engaging class 3 / MALE UAVs. At that price point, it is far more cost effective. Also it seems clear direct engagement of UAVs with a warhead is just an initial use case; the design has a lot of utility for other payloads. Shahed interception probably has nothing to do with its design goals, although it would still be a cheaper weapon for that then most any SAM.
 
bring_it_on said:
Let's see them beat the per unit cost of the Tamir the USMC is acquiring in the thousands.
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I suspect that purchase will be put on hold given current events. But I do marvel at how inexpensive that weapon is claimed to be. I don’t see how they can make that price point with a medium range solid rocket and active radar seeker.
 
Josh_TN said:
I would think Israel would be given priority, but maybe not.
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Israel is being funded through a supplemental and already has a production line to produce both Iron Dome launchers, and Tamir interceptors. USMC equipment will come from a US production line being set up to deliver to USMC and potential future demand for the Army via a JV between Rafael and Raytheon.
 
Moose said:
I'd say they've got a hit on their hands
www.twz.com

Anduril's Roadrunner Drone Hunting Drone Gets Expanded Order From Pentagon

The optionally reusable Roadrunner jet interceptor drone has been tested overseas in real world circumstances and now the DoD wants more.
www.twz.com www.twz.com
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Agreed!

Now they need to get Roadrunner to talk to Aegis, because I expect the USN will want many of them for ships. Strap a couple of nests down on top of the helo hangar for ships transiting the Red Sea.
 

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