The US Special Operations Command is seeking a small but long-range kamikaze drone. The goal is to develop an air-launched loitering munition with an extended range and capabilities beyond the current portfolio.
The desired Air Loitering Munition must have a range of at least 75 nautical miles and a loiter time of at least 40 minutes while orbiting at an altitude of 500 to 3,000 feet.
The project will involve a single demonstration for evaluation on the AC-130J Ghostrider or another SOF platform, with rough cost estimates for orders of 500, 1000, and 3000 munitions. This capability would allow SOCOM aircraft to hunt targets deep inside enemy lines while remaining out of range of enemy air defenses.
