Army Recognition Group
According to official information published by Northrop Grumman on May 29, 2025, the company successfully launched two GQM-163A “Coyote” supersonic targets from the Hebrides Launch Facility in Scotland. The launches were conducted during the 2025 edition of Formidable Shield, a biennial multinational NATO exercise focused on air and missile defense. Over three weeks, the exercise brings together naval, air, and ground forces from multiple allied nations to conduct coordinated live-fire operations against both subsonic and supersonic threats in realistic combat scenarios.
The Coyote is engineered for high maneuverability, capable of enduring accelerations over 10 g and executing both azimuth and elevation turns as well as spiral maneuvers
The GQM-163A “Coyote” is a supersonic target vehicle measuring 5.5 meters in length, developed to simulate advanced anti-ship cruise missile threats. Manufactured exclusively in the United States, it has been employed by the U.S. Navy for more than two decades in high-stakes missile defense testing. Its propulsion system combines a solid-fuel booster with an air-breathing ducted rocket, enabling it to fly at speeds exceeding Mach 2.5 while maintaining an altitude of just 4.5 meters above the sea. The Coyote is engineered for high maneuverability, capable of enduring accelerations over 10 g and executing both azimuth and elevation turns as well as spiral maneuvers. It can also host varied payloads including radar signature modifiers and electronic countermeasures, challenging defensive systems with highly realistic threat profiles.
