Leading defense technology startup Anduril has developed a new product designed to address the proliferation of low-cost, high-power aviation threats.
The product, called Roadrunner, is a low-cost, designed, modular, twin-jet-powered, autonomous vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraft. Anduril is also developing a variant called the Road Runner Munition, or Road Runner M, which is a “high-explosive bomb interceptor.” This means it can also carry warheads and destroy air threats defensively.
The Roadrunner is unusual in both appearance and abilities. It can take off, track and destroy targets. When there is no need to intercept a target, the vehicle can autonomously maneuver back to base, refuel and reuse. As Chris Brose, Anduril’s chief strategy officer, said in a recent interview, “We’ve developed a fighter weapon that basically lands like a Falcon 9.”
The product was built in response to the rise of high-speed, autonomous air weapons that can be produced in large quantities and at very low cost, a new type of threat, Brose said. Unlike other current solutions and previous legacy missile systems, the Roadrunner-M is also reusable.
“In my opinion, this is the first retrievable weapon ever deployed in combat,” Brose said. “That’s really great. The ability to introduce […] If it is not actually used in an operation to kill another drone, it can be recovered and reused, completely changing the way operators fight with this feature. Currently, they have a limited number of interceptors and cannot take them back if they decide to launch an attack. ”
According to Anduril, there are several other major improvements compared to previous systems. These are: a reduction in launch and takeoff time, a threefold increase in the warhead payload, a tenfold increase in the effective firing range, and a threefold increase in maneuverability in terms of gravitational acceleration. Like Andruil’s other family of systems, Roadrunner-M can be controlled by Lattice, Andruil’s AI-powered command and control software, or integrated into existing architectures.
Another big benefit is for operators. When faced with a fast-moving threat, Roadrunner can launch instantly, image it, and receive a signal to engage or not. The products are reusable and recoverable, allowing operators to act without fear of losing valuable assets.
Brose said the company has been working in tandem with unnamed U.S. government partners since it began designing the Roadrunner about two years ago.
“[National defense] A lot of times, the stereotype is right that it’s just very dull, very slow, very unimaginative, very unexciting,” Brose said. “As a company, Anduril is the antithesis of that, and Roadrunner embodies the kind of excitement that we believe exists in national defense, and I think we’re very keen to bring that back.”
Source: techcrunch.com
