Overview
- Northrop formally introduced Raid Hunter as a short‑range air‑defense capability that pairs the XM913 50 mm chain gun with precision, course‑correcting 50 mm ammunition and a networked system controller.
- The company presented Raid Hunter as a lower‑cost option for defending bases and airfields against cruise missiles and large drone swarms by firing fewer guided rounds instead of expending expensive interceptors.
- Northrop reported a live‑fire demonstration at Dahlgren in which 36 guided rounds were fired from the XM913, saying the test captured video and data and validated the team’s pre‑test performance predictions.
- The system is built on a modular, palletised form factor sized for C‑130 transport and is planned in vehicle‑mounted and container variants to give rapid, flexible deployment and deep magazines with fast reloads.
- Raid Hunter remains in development with further testing planned and Northrop expects a first operational prototype in summer 2027 while the company says it has not entered the system in the U.S. Army’s low‑cost interceptor competition.