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At the Farnborough International Airshow, Raytheon UK, part of RTX‘s Raytheon business, introduced Red Kite, described as its first sovereign precision weapon fully designed and digitally engineered in the United Kingdom.
Developed with a consortium of British defence partners, the system is positioned as an affordable, highly deployable effector intended to help the UK rapidly scale critical stockpiles. The company said advanced digital modelling enabled a swift transition from concept to prototype.
“Red Kite was designed with affordability and adaptability in mind, and marks a significant step forward for UK defence,” said James Gray, managing director and chief executive of Raytheon UK. “Working closely with our partners over the past five years, we’ve combined innovative design, digital engineering and proven technologies to develop a sovereign capability for the RAF faster and more efficiently than ever.”
Red Kite leverages the existing Stormbreaker airframe and is designed for integration across a wide range of air platforms. The programme builds on Raytheon UK’s experience with precision weapons, including Paveway IV, and is aimed at providing a cost-effective, high-volume capability to bolster RAF operational flexibility.
“Red Kite is about getting capability to the frontline faster – reducing cost, increasing availability and meeting our customers’ needs when it matters most,” added Gray. “It represents a clear step toward a more resilient, sovereign UK defence industrial base.”
The company plans to deliver the weapon through a nationwide UK supply chain, drawing on electronics and software expertise in Harlow and control actuation systems in Glenrothes. The effort is expected to sustain high-skilled jobs, advanced manufacturing and sovereign defence capabilities across England, Scotland and Wales, with an estimated 140 highly skilled roles directly supporting the programme.
