New York, February 11, 2026, 11:51 EST — Regular session
- Late-morning trading saw RTX shares climb roughly 2%, surpassing the gains of most major defense competitors
- Raytheon reported that its reusable, “non-kinetic” Coyote Block 3NK successfully took down drone swarms during a U.S. Army demonstration
- Investors are eyeing follow-up counter-drone orders and new insights from RTX management set for next week
Shares of RTX Corp (RTX.N) climbed 1.9%, reaching $198.81 by late morning on Wednesday.
The company’s Raytheon division is ramping up its focus on counter-drone systems, responding to increased military interest following a spike in drone activity during recent conflicts and major security incidents.
Investors face a straightforward issue right now: will this lead to consistent production and signed contracts, or is it just another impressive demo that drags out before any orders come through?
Raytheon announced Wednesday that it successfully demonstrated the Coyote Block 3 Non-Kinetic (NK) during a recent U.S. Army exercise, showcasing features like “intercept, and recovery” alongside its capability to be recalled and redeployed. “Coyote provides warfighters a cost-effective defense for individual drones and swarms,” said Tom Laliberty, president of Land & Air Defense Systems at Raytheon, in the statement. Rtx
Axios revealed that Raytheon took down several drones at once during an Army exercise, with the company anticipating a “significantly” higher output “across the Coyote family” this year. Laliberty didn’t provide specific numbers. According to the report, Raytheon destroyed at least 10 drones during Operation Clear Horizon tests in October. Axios
The Coyote system is already part of a bigger Pentagon-supported program. In September, the Pentagon handed Raytheon a $5.04 billion contract from the U.S. Army for the Coyote missile system.
RTX has been rolling out a series of smaller, tech-focused announcements that don’t always sway its stock daily but reinforce its role in defense modernization. On Tuesday, RTX’s BBN Technologies secured a contract related to an advanced “spectrum coexistence” project — aimed at preventing 5G networks and defense radars from jamming each other on nearby radio frequencies. “Lives are put at risk when a radar misses a target,” said Chris Vander Valk, a BBN principal investigator. Rtx
Other major defense players showed a mixed bag, making RTX’s gains feel more like an isolated win than a sector trend. Lockheed Martin edged up roughly 0.5%, Northrop Grumman held steady, and both General Dynamics and L3Harris slipped during the session.
RTX’s stock closed at $196.19 on Monday, trailing behind several aerospace and defense rivals, MarketWatch reports.
But bullish traders should note a snag: Raytheon’s statement leaves out key details like contract size, delivery dates, and how quickly the “non-kinetic” interceptor — a system meant to disable drones without explosives — will ramp up in production. Procurement often comes in fits and starts, and demos don’t always translate into orders on investors’ preferred timelines.
Investors will be keenly tuning in for clues from management on production ramp-ups and demand trends. RTX announced that Chairman and CEO Chris Calio will present at Citi’s Global Industrial Tech and Mobility Conference on Feb. 18.
