On Friday, June 5, 2026, the U.S. Department of State approved the sale to Kuwait of a major package of counter-drone defense system platforms for up to 1.98 billion USD.
Roadrunner-M / Photos: Anduril Industries
According to the published notice, the government of Kuwait requested the following non-MDE (Major Defense Equipment) items:
- an undisclosed number of Roadrunner-Munition and Anvil-Kinetic counter-unmanned aerial system platforms;
- launchers;
- the Lattice MESH mesh communications and data transmission network;
- Long Range Sentry observation masts with a fire-control system;
- Long Range Sentry T-82 mobile observation masts;
- Extended Range Sentry observation masts;
- Maritime Sentry Towers;
- Pulsar electronic warfare systems;
- as well as tactical operations centers, power generators, publications, personnel training, software development, U.S. government and contractor engineering, technical, and logistics services, provided by Anduril Industries, and other related elements of logistics and program support.
The Roadrunner-M interceptor drone, alongside the reusable Roadrunner loitering munition, made its public debut on December 1, 2023. Roadrunner-M is a kinetic effector carrying a high-explosive fragmentation warhead, while Pulsar, which is used to jam communications of enemy unmanned systems by means of an AI-supported electromagnetic pulse, is a non-kinetic effector. Together, they form a comprehensive counter-drone system. In October, they were ordered by the U.S. Army.
Lattice MESH uses a machine-learning, or artificial intelligence, software engine of the same name. The United States recently announced a 20 billion USD investment in mesh communications. Interestingly, it will be integrated with the IBCS-M command system, which is intended to serve as the mobile element of the baseline Integrated Battle Command System for air and missile defense. Kuwait recently decided to procure the latter system, together with LTAMDS radars.
Anvil-Kinetic is a small quadcopter interceptor drone that does not carry a warhead, unlike the Anvil-M variant, but attacks an enemy drone by crashing into it. It can engage Group 1 and Group 2 drones. The drones are launched from the so-called Launchbox launcher, which holds two drones.
Sentry, in turn, is a family of autonomous observation masts equipped with various sensors, depending on the variant, including radar and electro-optical sensors, supported by artificial intelligence, for the detection, identification, and tracking of aerial targets.