FALLS CHURCH, Va. — Northrop Grumman has unveiled Raid Hunter™, the official name of its new 50mm Gun-Based Air Defense (GBAD) system designed to provide short-range, layered protection against cruise missiles, unmanned aerial systems (UAS), drone swarms and other aerial threats.
The company said Raid Hunter is intended to address a gap in short-range air defense by providing high-capacity firepower against large and mixed aerial raids. The system is designed to protect military bases, airfields and other critical infrastructure.
We’re introducing Raid Hunter™, our newly named 50mm gun-based air defense system designed to defeat mass, mixed aerial raids with cost-effective interceptors and deep magazine effectors which can be delivered to the warfighter at scale. Learn more: https://t.co/gnOzpo0RA3 pic.twitter.com/oTqORTG9Q4
— Northrop Grumman (@NGCNews) August 11, 2026
50mm gun and guided ammunition
Raid Hunter combines Chain Gun® technology, precision-guided 50mm ammunition and a networked, interoperable system controller. According to Northrop Grumman, the combination provides a high rate of fire, deep magazines and fast reloads for engagements involving high volumes of aerial threats.
The system is designed to counter a range of threats, including high-priority cruise missiles, UAS and other advanced aerial threats. Its guided 50mm ammunition is intended to support cost-considerate engagements against massed threats.
Kenn Todorov, vice president and general manager of command and control and weapons integration at Northrop Grumman, said Raid Hunter addresses a critical short-range defense gap by providing rapid, high-capacity protection against complex aerial threats such as cruise missiles and drone swarms.
He said air defenders need systems capable of dealing with large and complex raids designed to overwhelm traditional defense systems. According to Todorov, Raid Hunter provides a cost-effective and deep-magazine solution that can be rapidly delivered to the warfighter at scale.
Modular design and deployment
Northrop Grumman said Raid Hunter uses a modular, palletized design that enables rapid transportation on C-130 aircraft. The company also plans future vehicle-mounted and container-based configurations, which are intended to expand the system's deployment options.
The modular design is intended to support different operational requirements while allowing the system to be integrated into layered air-defense architectures.
Part of Raid Defense Solutions
Raid Hunter is part of Northrop Grumman's Raid Defense Solutions portfolio, which focuses on layered kinetic capabilities for protection against increasingly complex and high-volume aerial threats, including coordinated drone swarms.
The portfolio combines fielded programs with AI-enabled command and control, sensor fusion and high-rate firepower. Northrop Grumman said these capabilities are intended to support faster detection, decision-making and coordinated engagements across different operational scenarios.
Testing planned
Northrop Grumman said it is continuing to work with government and allied partners to mature Raid Hunter's capabilities. Planned testing throughout the year will be used to further validate system performance and support accelerated fielding.
The company has not disclosed specific customers, contract values or production quantities for Raid Hunter in the information provided.
Raid Hunter represents Northrop Grumman's latest effort to expand its counter-UAS and air-defense capabilities with a 50mm gun-based system designed specifically for high-volume aerial threats.
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