Low-cost subsonic cruise missileprocuredpartial data
Barracuda-500
Barracuda-500M (munition variant)
A turbojet cruise missile designed for mass production that can be launched from fighters, cargo-aircraft pallets or ground containers to strike targets at long range.
$216,000 Expected unit price of the Taiwanese co-produced derivative, stated by NCSIST president Li Shih-chiang (2025). No US contract unit price is public.
| Maker | Anduril Industries |
|---|---|
| Origin | United States |
| Built | United States (Southern California facility; production moving to Arsenal-1, Ohio) |
| Warhead | 45 kg |
| Top speed | 926 km/h |
| Max range | 926 km |
| Propulsion | Turbojet (four different engines integrated so far); solid rocket booster for ground launch |
| Guidance | Autonomous navigation with networked collaborative autonomy between missiles; seeker not disclosed |
| Launcher | Fighter aircraft pylons (lug-launched), palletized drop from C-17 and C-130 cargo aircraft, and 20-foot ISO ground containers holding up to 16 rounds |
Range (more than 500 nautical miles, about 926 km) and speed (about 190 to 500 knots, 350 to 926 km/h) are Anduril claims; the 45 kg figure is the 100 lb payload Anduril and Defense News quote, not a confirmed explosive weight. Anduril says the first pallet-launched flight test was in September 2024. In 2026 the US Army ordered at least 3,000 surface-launched Barracuda-500M rounds (1,000 per year from 2027) and the Department of War signed a framework agreement in July 2026 for air-launched versions, with deliveries from 2027.
Sources (11)
- Anduril Barracuda product page: Barracuda-500 range >500 nm (range_km)
- Anduril Barracuda product page: speed ~190-500 kts (speed_kmh_max)
- Defense News: Anduril unveils modular, high-production Barracuda cruise missiles (Sep 2024), more than 100 lb payload (warhead_kg)
- Anduril: DoW framework agreement for air-launched Barracuda-500 (Jul 2026), four turbojets integrated (propulsion)
- The Aviationist: Anduril to supply surface-launched Barracuda-500M to US Army (May 2026), SRM booster (propulsion)
- Anduril: Networked Collaborative Autonomy flights (guidance)
- Defense News (Sep 2024): F-15E, F-16, F/A-18E/F, C-17 and C-130 pallets (launcher)
- The Aviationist (May 2026): 20-foot ISO container, up to 16 rounds (launcher)
- Anduril (Jul 2026): Southern California facility and Arsenal-1, Ohio (built_where)
- Asia Times: Barracuda-500, US-Taiwan co-produced missile (Sep 2025), about $216,000 per unit (unit_cost_usd)
- Anduril (Jul 2026): flight tests since Sep 2024, deliveries from 2027 (status)
No freely licensed photograph found. The drawing above is the reference.
