U.S. defense contractor Raytheon signed an agreement with the United Arab Emirates’ (UAE) Tawazun Council to begin local production of the Coyote Counter-Unmanned Aircraft System (C-UAS) interceptor, the company announced on Monday.

The signing took place in Abu Dhabi and was witnessed by U.S. Ambassador to the UAE Martina Strong and H.E. Dr. Nasser Al Nuaimi, Secretary General of the Tawazun Council.

Raytheon signs term sheet with @TawazunCouncil to produce the Coyote counter-UAS interceptor in the UAE. Strengthening U.S. and UAE defense ties, the agreement boosts readiness and supply chain resilience. pic.twitter.com/nrcYPWSTSA

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The Coyote is a rail-launched, combat-tested interceptor designed to neutralize unmanned aerial systems, including drone swarms. It offers quick deployment and is available in both kinetic and non-kinetic versions.

Its variants are capable of performing a range of tasks, such as surveillance, precision strikes, and electronic warfare.

The Coyote system is already in use by the U.S. military. When paired with Raytheon’s Ku-band Radio Frequency Sensor (KuRFS), it forms part of the U.S. Army’s LIDS (Low, slow, small, unmanned aircraft Integrated Defeat System).

The agreement highlights the growing defense cooperation between the U.S. and the UAE. The two countries renewed their Defense Cooperation Agreement in 2019 and, in 2024, the U.S. designated the UAE as a “major defense partner.” 

“This agreement supports the U.S. defense industrial base by delivering increased capacity and resilience in a high-demand mission area,” said Raytheon Emirates Managing Director Fahad Al Mheiri. “It’s a testament to the strength of our partnership with Tawazun and the shared vision to drive innovation and readiness through trusted collaboration.”