New loitering munition targets US Army competition

AV's Mayhem 10 loitering munition is being displayed for the first time at the Army Aviation Association of America's annual conference on 15 April 2026. (AV)

AV plans to submit its new Mayhem 10 unmanned aerial system (UAS) for the US Army's Launched Effects Short-Range (LE-SR), an executive told reporters on 13 April.

With a 10-lb (4.5 kg) payload capacity and the ability to host multiple types of payloads at the same time, Mayhem 10 was unveiled for the first time at the Army Aviation Association of America's annual conference on 15 April. The weapon is designed to fire armour-penetrating warheads and mount payloads like intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) cameras and electronic warfare devices, Brian Young, senior vice-president for loitering munitions at AV, said during a media briefing on 13 April.

The Group 2 UAV can fly up to a 100 km operational range for 50 minutes. That range can be achieved by using another UAV to hand-off the mission to the Mayhem 10, but its range from home station is about 45-50 km, Young said.

AV's Tomahawk Grip product controls the flight through the AV_Halo COMMAND interface. The company has equipped the UAV with M-Code GPS and a Silvus datalink, and uses a MANET secure mesh network to achieve an estimated 25-40 km link range, according to a 15 April AV statement.