Textron developing Launched Effect for air, ground ISR

Textron Systems is developing a Launched Effect system that is equipped with intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities, and can be launched from the air or ground, the company announced today.

The Damocles LE system has “autonomous tracking capabilities and advanced artificial intelligence,” but also uses a human in the loop for supervision, according to a company announcement.

Damocles uses a “precision unitary munition” to ensure accurate targeting, and has a low signature, according to Textron. Other payloads can be integrated into the system, such as electronic warfare effects, due to the use of a modular opens systems architecture.

Army senior leaders have emphasized in recent months that the service must diversify its Launched Effects portfolio, with efforts to field short-, medium- and long-range Launched Effects -- akin to exploding drones.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s April 30 memo, establishing the Army Transformation Initiative, directs the Army to field a combination of air and ground Launched Effects in every division by the end of 2026. In response, the service has issued a series of solicitations for low-cost Launched Effects and conducted a three-week user demonstration with 20 different systems at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, WA this summer.