The Disruptor loitering munition is designed to deliver strong performance across tactical operations in contested and denied environments.
Developed by AEVEX Aerospace, the platform is part of the company’s Group III unmanned aircraft systems portfolio, which includes several long-range, multi-mission platforms.
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The system was first shown publicly at the Association of the United States Army Annual Meeting in Washington, DC, in October 2024.
Disruptor loitering munition design and features
Disruptor measures 3.06m (10.03ft) in length with a 4.8m wingspan and has a maximum take-off weight of 83.9kg (185lb).
The platform’s design follows open-architecture principles and features a carbon fibre and composite airframe that is designed to balance low weight with structural strength.
Launch options for the Disruptor loitering munition include a Group III pneumatic launcher or rocket-assisted take-off.
Payload options
The Disruptor loitering munition is intended to support integration of third-party sensors, software and payloads. It can carry a 22.6kg payload and can be configured with an optional intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance package.
The modular payload approach supports strike and electronic warfare missions, with warhead options including fragmentation, penetration or incendiary effects, and either point-detonation or height-of-burst settings that are enhanced further via its optional visual-based navigation capability.
Navigation and tracking
Disruptor uses advanced visual navigation and onboard autonomy to recognise and follow environmental cues with high accuracy, enabling reliable positioning and strike performance even when satellite navigation is disrupted.
The system is fitted with a mesh radio and a hardened Global Navigation Satellite System receiver, alongside alternative positioning, navigation and timing technologies to maintain navigation and target engagement in areas where GPS is degraded, denied or contested.
Engine and performance
Disruptor offers a 600km range with a carburettor-equipped engine, and up to 1,150km when electronic fuel injection is installed.
The platform is intended for extended missions, offering more than 14 hours of endurance and a maximum range of up to 1,400km.
Mission capabilities
The Disruptor loitering munition platform is designed to carry out missions such as precision strike, communications relay, electronic warfare across the full spectrum, cyber-enabled effects and the placement of sensors with high accuracy, including in environments where GPS and communications are unavailable.
With a modular architecture, sophisticated guidance and quick-to-field deployment, the platform enables operators to tailor effects and project capability further to meet mission objectives.
Orders and deliveries
In May 2026, AEVEX secured a $18.5m US Air Force (USAF) contract to supply autonomous aircraft intended for one-way attack missions. The production award also covers engineering assistance and field services support.
The contract underpins the delivery of AEVEX’s additively manufactured Group III unmanned aircraft systems, produced using 3D printing methods intended to support scalable output and faster fielding. Work will be carried out using the company’s existing US production and engineering facilities.
During the same month, the USAF also awarded AEVEX $15.6m for work on advanced unmanned aircraft mission capabilities and modular airborne system integration, using the company’s long-range one-way attack platform.
