- CX2 has unveiled Wraith, a 32-pound autonomous airborne EW platform designed to geolocate and identify RF threats such as jammers and radars in contested environments.
- The drone operates without GPS using CX2’s Pathfinder navigation software and integrates RF sensors with EO/IR gimballed optics for target confirmation.
U.S.-based defense technology firm CX2 has introduced Wraith, a lightweight airborne electronic warfare (EW) platform designed to detect, geolocate, and track jammers, radars, and other RF emitters in high-threat, GPS-denied environments.
According to a statement from CX2, Wraith is “purpose-built to weaponize the RF spectrum for forward elements in contested environments.” The company describes the system as a Group 2 autonomous drone capable of operating independently using custom navigation software without relying on GPS.
“21st century warfare requires a decentralized network of low-cost systems that can find, fix, and finish the tidal wave of jammers and other RF emitters emerging on the modern battlefield,” the company said. “Without geolocating them, you can’t maneuver.”
The aircraft, weighing 32 pounds (14.5 kg) and folding down to compact dimensions of 15 x 48.5 x 20 inches, combines multiple intelligence and targeting systems into a single platform. Wraith uses custom GNSS hardening and layered non-GPS navigation for autonomous operation, and features a signal classification engine capable of identifying RF threats in complex electromagnetic environments.
Once RF sources are identified, the drone uses a gimbaled electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) sensor to visually confirm and track targets. The onboard software system, CX2-OS, provides spectral heat-mapping and emitter targeting overlays to enhance situational awareness for forward-deployed units.
As stated by CX2, “Wraith precisely geolocates high value emitters, such as jammers, radars, and ground control systems, from a single, airborne platform: the platform itself is the sensor.”
Wraith has a flight time of approximately 45 minutes and is compliant with the U.S. National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which restricts the use of non-domestic electronics in critical defense systems.
The drone’s onboard communications suite supports resilient data transmission even in degraded electromagnetic conditions, and the integrated Pathfinder software enables it to maneuver in GPS-denied environments by relying on multi-band antenna inputs and AI-assisted navigation.
According to CX2, the autonomous nature of Wraith and its sensor fusion capabilities allow it to operate in isolation or as part of a larger networked system, supporting the growing need for scalable unmanned solutions in electronic warfare and reconnaissance missions.