Raytheon UK, part of RTX, introduces “Red Kite,” described as its first sovereign precision weapon that is fully designed and digitally engineered in the UK. The announcement comes at the Farnborough International Airshow on July 21, 2026.
Raytheon UK says Red Kite is intended to be an affordable and scalable effector, aimed at strengthening stockpile resilience for the UK’s Royal Air Force. The company frames the system as “sovereign,” emphasizing domestic design and engineering, and presents it as a digitally engineered precision weapon.
The available release does not provide further operational details such as range, warhead type, guidance method, production quantities, or commissioning timelines. It also does not specify whether Red Kite is in active service or at which stage of testing or procurement it is. Overall, the announcement focuses on the programme’s origin in the UK, its precision-warfare purpose, and the affordability/scalability attributes highlighted by Raytheon UK.
