AFA 2026: Dragon Cart palletised munitions programme still ‘on track' for 2027 operational deployment

Airmen and Riggers with the 1st Special Operations Squadron Logistics Readiness Squadron load a Rapid Dragon Palletized Weapon System aboard an MC-130J Commando II at Hurlburt Field, Florida, on 13 December, 2021. (USAF)

Dragon Cart, the US Air Force's (USAF) effort to create a palletised munitions system operated from military cargo aircraft, is still “on track” to be operational in 2027, Lieutenant General Daniel Tulley, commander of Air Mobility Command, told Janes during a media roundtable during the 2026 Air, Space, and Cyber conference in National Habor, Maryland.

Lt Gen Tulley said on 16 September that the USAF is still building a concept of operations, experimentation, and testing for Dragon Cart, which became a programme of record in April 2026.

He said it would come “sooner, rather than later” but stressed that many of the details could not be fully revealed.

“There's an aspect of capabilities like that where there's a conceal and reveal consideration. We benefit far more if we don't reveal too much,” Lt Gen Tulley told Janes . “What I'd offer is there absolutely is some great capability there. The dilemma it presents for our adversaries is exactly what we need it to be. Imagine if any [Lockheed Martin] C-130, any [Boeing] C-17, any airdrop capable aircraft is able to deliver that type of system.”

Dragon Cart's origins date back to March 2020, when the USAF Strategic Development Planning and Experimentation Office (SDPE) released a Capability Request for Information (CRFI) asking industry for details of candidate systems, enabling technologies and operational concepts.

The programme was previously named the Palletized Munitions Program at its inception before being renamed Rapid Dragon. It is now known as Dragon Cart.