WASHINGTON — June 02, 2026 : The U.S. Navy has awarded Northrop Grumman Systems a contract worth nearly $100 million to continue supporting the GQM-163A Coyote supersonic target missile program through May 2031. The contract, issued by the Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division at Point Mugu, California, will support missile-defense testing and training against advanced anti-ship cruise missile threats.
The GQM-163A Coyote is a non-recoverable aerial target missile designed to simulate the flight characteristics and attack profiles of modern anti-ship cruise missiles. It remains the only supersonic sea-skimming target missile produced in the United States and serves as the Navy’s primary platform for high-speed threat simulation.
Designed to Simulate Modern Missile Threats
The GQM-163A is designed to replicate missile threats comparable to China’s YJ-12 and Russia’s P-800 Oniks anti-ship missiles, which are capable of high-speed maritime attacks. The P-800 Oniks has also been exported to countries including India and Vietnam, while Iran operates Russian-origin missile systems with similar attack profiles.
The missile operates in two primary attack modes used by modern anti-ship weapons.
Sea-Skimming Flight Profile
In sea-skimming mode, the GQM-163A flies at speeds exceeding Mach 2.5 while maintaining an altitude as low as four meters (13 feet) above the ocean surface. This profile reduces radar detection time and tests a warship’s ability to detect and intercept incoming threats.
High-Altitude Dive Profile
The missile can also climb to approximately 15,850 meters (52,000 feet) before diving toward a target at speeds exceeding Mach 3.5, simulating high-speed terminal attacks.
The GQM-163A uses a solid-fuel ducted rocket and ramjet propulsion system to maintain sustained supersonic flight during testing.
Contract Covers Testing and Operational Support
The contract includes flight trajectory planning, technical data support, launcher preparation, telemetry support, and operational services required for live-fire missile-defense exercises.
Each exercise is planned to test specific naval defense systems, including radar tracking, missile interceptors, and close-range defensive weapons. The agreement also includes loading and preparation of Coyote targets onto launch systems before testing.
Supporting U.S. and Allied Naval Forces
The program supports not only the U.S. Navy but also allied countries including Japan, Israel, and France, which use the system to test shipboard missile-defense capabilities.
Work under the contract will be carried out across seven U.S. locations and international facilities in Scotland and Israel. Point Mugu, California, accounts for 27 percent of work and serves as the primary Pacific missile test range. Facilities in Camden and Chandler, Arizona, handle manufacturing and assembly, while the Hebrides Range in Scotland supports NATO missile-defense exercises. Operations in Israel reflect continued use of the system for naval defense testing.
Program History and Continued Demand
The program began in 2000 when Orbital Sciences, later acquired by Northrop Grumman, received a Navy contract to develop a supersonic target missile. Following its first launch in 2003 and developmental testing, the GQM-163A entered operational service in 2005.
Northrop Grumman delivered the 200th GQM-163A Coyote missile to the U.S. Navy in June 2025, reflecting continued demand for the system.
Growing Importance for Naval Missile Defense
The importance of the GQM-163A program has increased as anti-ship missile threats continue to expand, particularly in regions such as the South China Sea where naval forces operate within range of land-based missile systems, submarines, and surface combatants.
The U.S. Navy uses the Coyote to test and validate defense systems including the Aegis Combat System, Standard Missile interceptors, the Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile, and close-in weapon systems under realistic operational conditions.
By extending the program through 2031, the Navy will continue to support missile-defense testing and readiness for U.S. and allied naval forces.
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