U.S. Army Tests New ALTIUS-700M Kamikaze Drone

Anduril Industries has announced the completion of testing for its ALTIUS-700M loitering munition by the U.S. Army at Dugway Proving Grounds in Utah.

During the tests, which took place in September 2023, the drone achieved direct hits across six missions.

This testing event allowed Anduril engineers to assess the ALTIUS-700M with a live warhead for the first time. Previous trials had focused on subsystems and inert system testing, making this the first comprehensive evaluation of the system's performance from launch to target impact.

Working in collaboration with Department of Defense partners, the ALTIUS-700M team fulfilled all test objectives.

The ALTIUS series, which includes the ALTIUS-700M, serves a variety of missions ranging from intelligence gathering to kinetic strikes. With a munition payload capacity of up to 33 pounds (15 kg), similar to an AGM-114 Hellfire missile, the ALTIUS-700M can deliver precise strikes on large and armored targets such as tanks, vehicles, vessels, and infrastructure. Its capabilities include high terminal velocity and optional delayed fuze payload configurations, allowing it to penetrate target walls effectively.

The ALTIUS-700M offers up to 100 miles (around 160 km) of range and 75 minutes of flight time, providing enhanced standoff distance and extended loitering time for operators to identify and engage targets.

The ALTIUS-M variants leverage a common software baseline and open system architecture to integrate with various payloads and mission software suites. This allows a single operator to control multiple ALTIUS drones simultaneously, each fulfilling a unique mission based on its payload capability.

The ALTIUS-700M ensures operators maintain control over tasking and execution, delivering results at extended ranges without the need for laser target designation or fire-and-forget systems.