The US State Department has cleared a $1.98-billion foreign military sale of counter-unmanned aerial system (C-UAS) platforms to Kuwait.
The package includes solutions designed to locate and destroy threats using both electronic and kinetic methods.
Requested equipment covers Roadrunner and Anvil interceptors, launch systems, command-and-control software, long-range and maritime surveillance towers, electromagnetic warfare solutions, and mobile operations centers.
It also includes training and logistics support.
The agency said the sale supports US foreign policy by bolstering a key non-NATO partner nation in the Middle East.
It also stated that the deal would not alter the military balance in the region or affect American military readiness.
The approval follows a separate late-May notification of a $1-billion deal for National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System fire units for Kuwait, amid ongoing regional tensions involving Iran, the US, and Israel.
Countering Drones With Drones
The proposed package highlights the use of Anduril’s proprietary Roadrunner and Anvil platforms, which are designed for rapid ground launch and engagement of airborne targets.
Both systems use a vertical takeoff and landing approach while maintaining different architectures for various mission profiles.
Roadrunner, a twin-turbojet-powered interceptor, has an airframe of about 2 meters (7 feet) in length and can reach subsonic speeds of up to around 1,235 kilometers (767 miles) per hour.
It typically uses a high-explosive warhead to neutralize Group 3 UAS and larger aerial threats, including manned aircraft and cruise missiles.
Anvil is a smaller rotary-wing system capable of speeds up to 320 kilometers (199 miles) per hour.
It is designed for close-range interception of Group 1 and 2 drones through kinetic impact, offering a lower-cost, expendable engagement option.
