The US Navy appears to have deployed Coyote drone interceptors on an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer, adding a dedicated layer of protection against swarming unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).
In the first publicly available image confirming the move, the Raytheon-built counter-drone system was spotted on the aft superstructure of the USS Bainbridge during a drill in the Ionian Sea.
The Coyote launchers were positioned on the port side of the ship, close to the Mk 41 Vertical Launch System array and other key armaments.
As part of the Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group, the USS Bainbridge is tasked with defending high-value naval assets, and integrating the Coyotes provides another shield against small, low-flying drones.
The deployment comes as the US Navy faces escalating Houthi drone and missile attacks in the Red Sea, which continue to endanger both warships and commercial shipping.
Drone-Hunting Drones
The Coyote was first developed as a small, expendable drone for reconnaissance and limited missions before being adapted for counter-UAV operations.
Since then, it has evolved into one of the US military’s frontline systems for neutralizing hostile drones, a mission made more urgent by the rapid spread of UAVs in modern warfare.
Compact and tube-launched, the interceptor can be deployed from vehicles, ships, or modular systems, unfolding its wings once airborne.
The Block 2 variant, powered by a small jet engine, adds greater speed, range, and an active seeker to track and destroy agile enemy drones.
The US Army has credited the system with at least 170 drone kills worldwide, according to previous reporting by The War Zone.
Earlier this year, Raytheon also carried out the first-ever helicopter launch of a Coyote variant at the Nine Mile Training Center in Fort Stockton, Texas.
