Coyote interceptor factory opened in Abu Dhabi
A Coyote Block 2C is fired during an exercise at the US military's outpost in Al-Tanf, Syria, on 12 March 2025. (Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve)
An assembly facility for Raytheon's Coyote interceptor has been inaugurated in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), it was announced on 16 May.
“The 21,500 sq ft [2,000 m2] facility features dedicated space for the final integration, assembly, and testing for the Coyote counter-unmanned aerial system, a highly capable counter-drone interceptor that has proven itself effective at defeating a range of threats,” Raytheon said in a statement.
Tawazun Council, which is responsible for developing the UAE's defence industry and managing procurement for its armed forces, said the new Raytheon facility at Tawazun Industrial Park enhances the efficiency and resilience of the UAE's defence supply chain and provides a platform for training locals in advanced manufacturing.
It released an image showing the Coyote Block 2, which is a missile with a small turbojet engine, not the original version of the Coyote, which is more like a tube-launched loitering munition with an electrically powered propellor.
Tawazun Council added that Raytheon was collaborating with Emirati entities, most notably EPI, which has begun making prototype components for the Coyote. Also based in Tawazun Industrial Park, EPI is part of the UAE's Edge defence group. Its main business is making aerostructures for civil airliners, but it also supplies components for other Edge entities, including the precision weapon manufacturer Halcon.
The inauguration of the facility came less than a month after Raytheon announced that it had signed an agreement with Tawazun Council to produce the Coyote in the UAE.
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