US-based SkyDefense has introduced CobraJet, an AI-powered autonomous vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) interceptor aircraft.
In a 6 July release, the company stated that the tactical aircraft can detect, track, and neutralise hostile drones targeting critical infrastructure, borders, airports, military installations, and public areas.
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CobraJet is built around a modular core structure that is made using 3D-printed carbon fibre. It is available in five trijet versions designated V4, V6, V8, V10, and VT10.
According to the company, the aircraft’s propulsion system can be configured either with electric duct fan motors using high-energy density solid-state batteries for speeds up to 360 kilometres (km) per hour, or with gas-powered turbojets in a hybrid setup achieving up to 560km per hour.
The jet’s features include thrust-vectoring nozzles and VTOL capability, intended to enable agility in intercepting and neutralising multiple unmanned aerial systems in various operational environments.
Its AI autopilot, together with NDAA-compliant electro-optical and infrared cameras and other sensors, supports autonomous operation during day or night and in adverse weather conditions. Manual remote control with AI-assist is available for short-range missions.
CobraJet is equipped with low-cost, attritable air-to-air interceptors including PYTHON electro-mechanical launcher for 18mm COPPERHEAD rounds, patented 40mm CUDA guided rounds with subsonic speed, and 45mm VIPER guided missiles that reach Mach 1.0.
The firm says these weapons are intended to disable or destroy enemy UAVs, including Group 1 through Group 3 aircraft, fibre-optic first-person-view drones, jet-powered unmanned aircraft, and UAV swarms, with a focus on minimising collateral damage.
The larger V10/VT10 hybrid version, which has a wingspan of 10 feet, can operate as a mothership for distributing low-cost drone interceptors from its internal weapons bay and under its wings.
SkyDefense’s command and control technology, termed the Visual Realtime Area Monitoring (VRAM) serves as the core command and control system for CobraJet, providing an AI-powered interface that keeps human operators involved in decision-making.
This portable, laptop-based system manages CobraJet’s missions in the field and is designed to function in contested electromagnetic environments.
VRAM incorporates anti-jam technology, AI-driven visual navigation, and satellite communication, supporting rapid deployment from trucks, ships, or aircraft. According to the company, it can also link CobraJet to long-range command systems and ground sensors for integrated operations.
SkyDefense president Nick Verini said: “Our CobraJet on-board munitions are in fact low-cost attritable air-to-air drone interceptors that can be produced at scale in thousands per month using 3D printing and other efficient workflow methods without sacrificing quality.”
Further deployment options include integrating the CobraJet within layered defences, alongside short-range man-portable or surface-launched guided munitions designed to intercept drones that penetrate initial defences.
SkyDefense plans to conduct field tests of CobraJet and the VRAM control system in the fourth quarter of 2026 at a designated test site for unmanned aerial systems, with production scheduled to begin in the first quarter of 2027.
