Anduril, a defense contractor, has revealed a groundbreaking missile-like air vehicle called Roadrunner, designed with top-notch modularity and autonomy that allows for easy reuse. One such iteration, the Roadrunner-M, comes equipped with a high-explosive warhead, and stands as a low-cost, loitering anti-air interceptor that is capable of returning home for refueling and reuse if not consumed during its mission. This is just one potential application for this innovative twin-jet-powered platform, which boasts high subsonic speed and can take off and land vertically.
Despite being formally unveiled today, Roadrunner has been in development for nearly two years, beginning as a simple doodle. Anduril’s founder, Palmer Luckey, introduced the Roadrunner as “somewhere between a reusable missile and a full-scale autonomous aircraft.” The fully reusable Roadrunner is celebrated for its high versatility when it comes to carrying different payloads. Although specific performance details have been somewhat limited at this stage, the vehicle is known to reach high subsonic speeds and stands at a height shorter than Luckey himself. Powered by a pair of small turbojets developed in-house, it is designed for quick and convenient refueling for rapid turnaround.
The launch system for Roadrunner is designed as a self-contained “nest,” housing a variety of functionalities, including continuous system monitoring, command and control networking, and more. Roadrunner is priced at several hundred thousand dollars, with plans to drive the cost down further during production ramp-up to thousands of units. The low-cost, high-capacity nature of Roadrunner-M makes it a compelling solution for intercepting drones and various other aerial threats.
It’s worth noting that Roadrunner is not intended to replace high-end air defense systems. Instead, it’s meant to address the growing need for more cost-effective solutions to handle lower-tier aerial threats, such as drones. With the modernization of air threats, the demand for highly maneuverable platforms like Roadrunner has been indisputably impactful. Anduril’s Roadrunner-M presents a singular opportunity in countering high volumes of cruise missiles, drones, and more, using cost-effective effectors that are capable of being relaunched if not used in the course of a mission.
