Anduril Industries, known for its rapid development of defense technology, has introduced its new Barracuda family of cruise missiles at the Land Forces 2024 exhibition.
This new line of missiles is designed to address the growing demand for advanced, cost-effective munitions.
The Barracuda missile series consists of three variants: the Barracuda-100, Barracuda-250, and Barracuda-500. These missiles differ in size, range, and payload capacity, with their nomenclature indicating their approximate range in nautical miles. The turbojet-powered missiles can carry up to 100 pounds of payload and feature modular designs that allow for easy upgrades and adaptation to various mission needs.
Anduril claims that the Barracuda missiles are significantly faster to produce than their competitors. Each missile takes half the time to manufacture, requires 95% fewer tools, and uses 50% fewer parts. This efficiency results in a missile that is approximately 30% cheaper on average compared to other cruise missiles on the market, potentially costing as little as 10% of an SM-family missile.
The Barracuda’s design emphasizes flexibility and affordability. It is built with commercially available components, ensuring supply chain resilience and redundancy. The missile can be launched from a variety of platforms, including fifth-generation aircraft weapon bays, under-wing hardpoints on fourth-generation aircraft, helicopters, ships, ground vehicles, and even transport aircraft.
David Goodrich, Executive Chairman & CEO of Anduril Asia-Pacific, highlighted that the Barracuda’s rapid production capabilities and low cost are crucial in modern warfare, where the ability to produce large quantities of munitions quickly is essential. He noted that the Barracuda’s modularity and software-defined nature make it adaptable to evolving mission requirements and threat scenarios.
The missile’s autonomy and software-defined features, controlled by Anduril’s Lattice autonomy software, enable it to loiter in the air for up to two hours and perform advanced maneuvers. This flexibility makes it suitable for a range of strike missions, whether stand-in, stand-off, or direct strikes.
The Barracuda represents a shift in defense manufacturing, focusing on ease of production and cost efficiency. Anduril’s approach contrasts with traditional methods, which often involve complex, low-production-capacity designs and specialized labor. The company aims to revolutionize defense production by leveraging its innovative design and manufacturing processes.
Anduril’s new production facility, Arsenal-1, planned to span over five million square feet, will further enhance its ability to produce large volumes of autonomous military systems.
Asian Military Review, Quartz, Defensescoop contributed to this report.
