Directory of U.S. Military Rockets and Missiles
Appendix 4: Undesignated Vehicles
Roadrunner
Copyright © 2025 Andreas Parsch

Anduril Roadrunner

In December 2023, after around 2 years of development, Anduril revealed Roadrunner, a jet-powered VTOL UAV. The vehicle is stored, maintained and launched from an easily transportable enclosure (called "Nest" by Anduril). It has a modular payload concept to support a variety of missions. Roadrunner is about 1.5 m (5 ft) long, powered by two small turbojets with thrust-vectoring, and is said to be able of high subsonic speed and high-G maneuvering.

roadrunner.jpg
Photo: Anduril
Roadrunner


Roadrunner-M is a dedicated surface-to-air loitering interceptor variant, equipped with a high-explosive warhead. It is to be employed primarily against unmanned aerial systems, but can also attack cruise missiles or low-flying manned aircraft. After launch, Roadrunner-M can loiter for potential targets in a designated area. On operator command, it can autonomously attack an identified target, or return to base in case no targets are available or the mission is aborted. No public data about performance figures like interception range or loiter time are available.

roadrunner-m.jpg
Photo: Anduril
Roadrunner-M


According to Anduril, Roadrunner has been deployed for combat evaluation since January 2024. In October that year, the Pentagon ordered more than 500 Roadrunner-M drones for further operational evaluation, but it was not revealed, which branch of the U.S. armed forces is going to receive them.

In March 2025, the U.S. Navy announced that it intends to equip some Arleigh Burke class destroyers with Roadrunner-M and Coyote Block 2 loitering interceptor drones. This should give the ships a defense option against low- and medium-performance attack drones, which is more cost-effective than expending full-sized surface-to-air missiles.

Specifications

Data about Roadrunner's physical characteristics or performance figures are not available.

Main Sources

[1] Anduril Website
[2] Anduril Press Release, December 2023
[3] Breaking Defense, Ashley Roque: Anduril unveils VTOL Roadrunner-Munition for aerial defense, one US customer buying in, December 2023
[4] DefenseNews, Courtney Albon: Anduril lands $250 million Pentagon contract for drone defense system, October 2024
[5] The War Zone, Joseph Trevithick: Coyote, Roadrunner Loitering Drone Interceptors To Arm U.S. Navy Destroyers, March 2025


Back to Directory of U.S. Military Rockets and Missiles, Appendix 4




Last Updated: 29 March 2025