A recent image confirms that the USS Bainbridge, an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer, has been equipped with Coyote drone interceptors, marking a significant addition to the Navy’s counter-UAV arsenal.
The launchers were identified on the ship’s port side near the Mk 41 VLS array during a training exercise in the Ionian Sea. This deployment enhances the destroyer’s ability to defend the Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group against small, low-flying hostile drones, particularly amid Houthi drone and missile attacks threatening regional waters.
The Coyote system, first fielded as an expendable drone, has matured into a compact, tube-launched interceptor deployable from ships, vehicles, or modular stations. Once airborne, its wings unfold, enabling pursuit and destruction of enemy UAVs.
The upgraded Block 2 version, powered by a micro jet engine, delivers greater speed, range, and precision with an active seeker. The platform has already proven itself, with US forces crediting it with at least 170 drone kills globally.
Earlier this year, Raytheon successfully launched a Coyote from a helicopter in Texas, further expanding its versatility across domains.
