Northrop Grumman unveils Raid Hunter 50mm SHORAD system to counter drone and cruise missile threats

Image: The XM913 50mm gun, which will be integrated on the U.S. Army XM30 IFV. Credit: Northrop Grumman.

Northrop Grumman announced the development of a 50mm gun-based system during the Space and Missile Defense Symposium in Huntsville, Alabama. The palletized system is designed to address a short-range air defense (SHORAD) gap, neutralizing a mix of threats including unmanned aerial systems (UAS) and cruise missiles.

However, the concept remains far from operational, with an operational prototype not expected until the summer of 2027.

System Overview

Northrop Grumman will repackage its Bushmaster Chain Gun into a modular, transportable weapon system capable of firing 50mm precision-guided rounds. The system, named Raid Hunter, is intended to counter what the company describes as "mass, mixed raids" comprising high-priority aerial threats.

Key features include:

• Precision-guided munitions: Launched in small salvos, these proximity-fuse interception rounds can make continuous steering adjustments mid-air to hit moving targets.
• Seeker technology: Northrop declined to disclose what seeker the rounds will use.
• Cost: One production round is expected to cost in the four-digit price range. The palletized system will cost approximately half that of a missile battery.
• Operational concept: Raid Hunter is designed to operate in batteries, delivering overlapping coverage and high-volume engagement capacity.

Image: Computer-generated image of a precision-guided 50mm round on track to intercept a cruise missile. Credit: Northrop Grumman.

Strategic Context

Russian salvos against Ukrainian cities demonstrate the multi-angled, low-cost strike tactics used in contemporary warfare. The Institute for the Study of War reports that Moscow aims to maximize the size of a single salvo from 77 to 200 missiles of various types.

These saturation effects are prompting Western defense companies to reduce the cost imbalance to more sustainable levels. While others, such as Lockheed Martin, attempt to reduce the cost of sophisticated missiles, Northrop aims to improve anti-air artillery—which is already cheaper and capable of engaging mass strikes.

Development Timeline

Northrop announced the development of the 50mm gun on 11 August 2026 during the Space and Missile Defense Symposium in Huntsville, Alabama.

In a press briefing, a company executive explained that Northrop is "extending" existing technology to the 50mm standalone gun system. The concept will incorporate:

• Chain-gun technology for jam-free and controllable fire
• AiON C2 software to detect and respond to different UAS classes

The Bushmaster family comes in various calibers, primarily functioning as autocannons for different U.S. Army vehicles, though the family also includes smaller machine gun variants. For Raid Hunter, the palletized system will likely use the 50mm XM913 gun, which the Army has selected for its XM30 infantry fighting vehicle (IFV), replacing the aging M2 Bradley.

Industry Precedent

Northrop is not the first company to extend a gun turret into a deployable weapon system suitable for any platform or as an individual counter-drone system. Germany's Rheinmetall developed the Skyranger 30 turret, which can serve as a standalone counter-drone system or be mounted atop an armored vehicle such as the Lynx IFV.

Testing and Delivery

As it stands, Raid Hunter has not been tested in real-world conditions. The weapon system has only been tested in a simulated environment, though all elements have been tested "to some degree," the executive noted.

Northrop is committed to a "high-paced" test schedule, with one test every month over the next year. The company aims to deliver an operational prototype in the summer of 2027.