FALLS CHURCH, Va. - Northrop Grumman is introducing Raid Hunter, a 50mm gun-based air-defense system designed to counter high-volume aerial threats including uncrewed aerial systems (UAS), drone swarms, and cruise missiles.
Formerly identified as the company's 50mm Gun-Based Air Defense (GBAD) system, Raid Hunter combines a high-rate-of-fire Bushmaster Chain Gun with precision-guided 50mm ammunition and a networked, interoperable system controller. Northrop Grumman says the system is designed to address large, mixed aerial raids and provide a short-range layer within integrated air and missile defense architectures.
The system's networked control architecture is based on Northrop Grumman's AiON command-and-control software, according to the company. Northrop Grumman describes Raid Hunter as platform-agnostic and says its modular architecture is designed to support palletized and future vehicle-mounted configurations.
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Steerable munitions
The guided 50mm ammunition is another key element of the system. Northrop Grumman describes the munition as a steerable round that can execute multiple in-flight maneuvers, providing guidance intended to improve engagement against aerial threats. The company says the gun's high rate of fire, combined with guided ammunition, deep magazines, and rapid reloads, is intended to address the challenge of massed aerial attacks.
Northrop Grumman says Raid Hunter is designed for rapid transportation aboard C-130 aircraft. Future vehicle-mounted and container-based configurations are planned, expanding the system's potential deployment options.
Raid Hunter is part of Northrop Grumman's broader Raid Defense Solutions portfolio of counter-UAS and air-defense capabilities. The company describes the portfolio as combining kinetic systems with AI-enabled command and control, sensor fusion and high-rate firepower to support layered defense against high-volume aerial threats.
Northrop Grumman says it is working with government and allied partners to mature Raid Hunter and plans testing throughout 2026 to validate system performance and support accelerated fielding. The company has not disclosed detailed public specifications for the system's sensors, tracking performance, engagement ranges, or external system interfaces.
