- The United States Army awarded Textron Systems a prototype agreement under the LASSO program to deliver and demonstrate the Damocles VTOL loitering munition system.
- The Damocles system is designed to provide Infantry Brigade Combat Teams with an organic beyond-line-of-sight precision strike capability against armored and hardened targets.
The United States Army has awarded Textron Systems Corporation a prototype agreement for the Low Altitude Stalking & Strike Ordnance (LASSO) program, the company announced last week.
The agreement supports the Army’s effort to provide Infantry Brigade Combat Teams (IBCTs) with an organic precision strike capability designed to engage armored vehicles, hardened targets, and concealed positions during large-scale combat operations. Program documentation states that current infantry formations lack adequate proportional long-range fires needed to achieve tactical overmatch against peer adversaries in complex terrain.
According to Textron Systems, the prototype agreement includes delivery of the Damocles loitering munition system followed by demonstrations conducted for Army evaluation. The LASSO requirement calls for prototype systems capable of delivering immediate, point long-range fire with limited collateral damage while operating across varied environments.
The Damocles loitering munition integrates Textron Systems’ GEN2 Explosively Formed Penetrator (EFP) warhead and operates using a vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) uncrewed aircraft system configuration. In this setup, no launch or recovery equipment is required, reducing the logistical footprint for deployed infantry units and enabling operations from confined or austere terrain.
Textron Systems describes the platform as a lightweight launched effect capable of fully autonomous or semi-autonomous search-and-strike missions. The system provides full-motion video feedback and supports human-in-the-loop control while enabling beyond-line-of-sight engagement.
“Loitering munitions technology will be key in protecting the warfighter on the battlefield – they allow warfighters to send systems like Damocles beyond-line-of-sight (BLOS) to engage a target from a safer standoff distance,” said Henry Finneral, Senior Vice President, Weapon Systems. “Textron Systems is proud to support this mission and leverage our industry-leading EFP technology to provide next-generation capability at speed and at scale.”
The system is built using a Modular Open Systems Approach (MOSA), allowing additional payloads to be integrated depending on operational requirements. Textron Systems said the architecture supports multiple concepts of operation, including electronic warfare effects. Safety features are also designed to prevent unexploded ordnance, reducing hazardous battlefield remnants after engagement.
Loitering munitions combine surveillance and strike functions within a single platform. Operators launch the system toward a target area where it can search, identify, and engage targets autonomously or under operator supervision. Unlike traditional missiles, these systems can remain airborne while awaiting confirmation before conducting an attack.
The LASSO program specifically seeks a capability that allows infantry units to conduct precision engagements without relying on artillery or close air support, reducing response times during rapidly evolving combat situations. The top-attack profile enabled by the EFP warhead is intended to engage armored vehicles from above, where protection is typically weaker.
The United States Army updated its Call for Solutions for the LASSO program in May 2025, requesting industry proposals covering design, development, fabrication, testing, and delivery of prototype loitering munition systems.