L3Harris Technologies’ Red Wolf launched-effect vehicle has been chosen by the US Department of the Navy for the US Marine Corps’ Precision Attack Strike Munition (PASM) programme, significantly extending the reach and survivability of rotary-wing strike platforms.
The selection follows an extensive test campaign involving 52 flight trials, including recent low-altitude launches from the AH-1Z Viper attack helicopter.
The award was made under an Other Transaction Agreement, a contracting approach intended to accelerate the development, testing, and operational fielding of new capabilities.
Under the contract, L3Harris will deliver the complete Red Wolf capability for the AH-1Z, encompassing the munition itself, training packages, technical documentation, support infrastructure, and test equipment. Deliveries are scheduled to be completed by the end of fiscal year 2027.
Red Wolf is capable of operating at ranges exceeding 200 nautical miles (about 370 kilometres) and remaining airborne for more than one hour, dramatically surpassing the engagement ranges of current helicopter-launched weapons such as the AGM-114 Hellfire and the Joint Air-to-Ground Missile (JAGM).
By comparison, existing Hellfire variants typically reach around 34 kilometres, while JAGM is limited to roughly 16 kilometres, restricting rotary-wing survivability in high-threat environments.
Beyond kinetic strike roles, Red Wolf can support a range of non-kinetic missions, including electronic warfare, signal sensing, communications relay, and decoy operations. L3Harris says these capabilities allow a broader mix of platforms to participate in long-range engagements.
With an estimated unit cost of about $300,000 and a production capacity of up to 1,000 systems per year, Red Wolf offers a scalable and cost-effective complement to scarce, high-end long-range weapons in prolonged peer-level conflicts.
The system can carry payloads of up to 25 pounds, enabling it to disrupt or degrade adversary sensor networks ahead of follow-on strikes by heavier weapons such as LRASM or the Joint Strike Missile.
