Breaking News: Cinder Drone Emerges as U.S. Autonomous Loitering Munition for GPS-Denied Warfare under Project Artemis
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On May 20, 2025, Dragoon and Teledyne FLIR OEM officially unveiled the Cinder autonomous attack drone, a next-generation loitering munition developed for GPS- and RF-denied environments, as reported for the first time by Forbes. As a candidate for the Pentagon’s ambitious Project Artemis, Cinder is categorized as a long-range, one-way attack drone, part of a broader defense concept centered on low-cost, scalable, and intelligent munitions designed for saturation strikes against armored targets, air defenses, and command structures deep behind enemy lines.Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link
The emergence of Cinder signals a major step toward doctrinal change. Its ability to operate without communication links and identify targets without human input could revolutionize how NATO and U.S. forces conduct deep strike missions (Editing content from Army Recognition Group)
The unveiling of Cinder comes at a critical moment in the evolution of drone warfare. The U.S. Department of Defense, observing the overwhelming impact of Russian Lancet drones and Ukrainian FPVs on the battlefield, is shifting from expensive, operator-controlled weapons to autonomous systems capable of mass deployment. Unlike previous drones, Project Artemis seeks to operate in areas of intense radio-frequency jamming that knocks out GPS navigation and direct links to an operator. The relevance of this shift is profound: Cinder doesn’t just adapt to the future of warfare, it defines it. Its ability to identify, track, and destroy high-value targets without operator input could drastically reshape the U.S. military’s approach to strike operations, particularly in peer conflict scenarios.
Cinder’s technical edge lies in its integration of Teledyne FLIR’s Prism Supervisor and Prism SKR (pronounced “Seeker”) software suites. Mounted with a FLIR Boson thermal imaging camera, the drone can autonomously navigate, identify, and strike targets based on visual recognition algorithms, without reliance on satellite signals or remote commands. The Supervisor software acts as the drone’s mission brain, plotting routes and making dynamic decisions mid-flight, while SKR provides onboard Automatic Target Recognition (ATR). This enables Cinder to distinguish between decoys and actual targets like T-62, T-72, T-80, and T-90 tanks, identify thermal signatures such as engine heat, and choose optimal aim points, like hitting a tank from behind to ensure destruction rather than striking frontal armor. In short, this is not just a drone, it’s an autonomous hunter-killer platform.
The Cinder system is the result of rapid development driven by operational necessity. With Project Artemis requiring prototypes and successful demonstrations within mere months, Dragoon teamed up with Teledyne FLIR to leverage existing AI-enabled sensor software that had already been field-tested in harsh environments. Cinder was designed to meet Artemis’ requirement for a range of 50–300 kilometers, vastly outpacing conventional FPVs and loitering munitions like the Switchblade 300 and 600, which typically offer 10 to 40 kilometers. Unlike the Switchblade, which still depends on human guidance, Cinder operates fully autonomously, providing true “fire-and-forget” functionality. Moreover, its resistance to electronic warfare (EW) and reliance on onboard optical navigation offers an edge in contested electromagnetic environments, a capability increasingly vital as NATO and adversary forces escalate their use of RF jamming on the frontlines.
Cinder’s advantages over peer systems are significant. Compared to Russian Lancet drones, Cinder not only surpasses them in range and autonomy but also in precision. While Lancets often execute head-on strikes with limited targeting flexibility, Cinder can select optimal strike vectors and discriminate between multiple targets in real time. This level of precision, especially in a GPS-denied zone, is a leap forward and could address one of NATO’s major vulnerabilities, armor survivability. In simulated combat environments, Russian Lancets have repeatedly disabled Western-supplied tanks, including Leopard 2s and M1 Abrams, by exploiting their lack of active protection and predictable deployment patterns. Cinder provides a scalable counter to that threat.
Strategically, the emergence of Cinder signals a major step toward doctrinal change. Its ability to operate without communication links and identify targets without human input could revolutionize how NATO and U.S. forces conduct deep strike missions. In a future conflict against Russia or China, both equipped with layered air defenses and EW tools, autonomous drones like Cinder would be critical for suppressing defenses, destroying mobile missile launchers, and targeting command-and-control nodes. Cinder fits into a larger strategy of distributed, attritable warfare, where inexpensive systems overwhelm adversaries in numbers rather than relying on a few costly assets. Moreover, its compatibility with the Golden Dome defense architecture envisioned under Donald Trump’s defense policy adds a layer of integration with U.S. homeland missile defense, potentially allowing future Cinder variants to operate as counter-strike systems against mobile launchers threatening American territory.
The Cinder drone represents a watershed moment in the evolution of autonomous loitering munitions. With AI-powered visual recognition, deep-strike range, resistance to EW, and a price tag designed for mass deployment, it redefines the role of drones in modern warfare. As part of Project Artemis and the broader Golden Dome initiative, it positions the United States not just to match adversaries like Russia in drone warfare, but to lead the next era of autonomous, intelligent battlefield systems. In a world where the speed, autonomy, and precision of weapons will determine victory, Cinder is the embodiment of the next strategic leap.
{loadposition bannertop}
{loadposition sidebarpub}
On May 20, 2025, Dragoon and Teledyne FLIR OEM officially unveiled the Cinder autonomous attack drone, a next-generation loitering munition developed for GPS- and RF-denied environments, as reported for the first time by Forbes. As a candidate for the Pentagon’s ambitious Project Artemis, Cinder is categorized as a long-range, one-way attack drone, part of a broader defense concept centered on low-cost, scalable, and intelligent munitions designed for saturation strikes against armored targets, air defenses, and command structures deep behind enemy lines.
Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link
The emergence of Cinder signals a major step toward doctrinal change. Its ability to operate without communication links and identify targets without human input could revolutionize how NATO and U.S. forces conduct deep strike missions (Editing content from Army Recognition Group)
The unveiling of Cinder comes at a critical moment in the evolution of drone warfare. The U.S. Department of Defense, observing the overwhelming impact of Russian Lancet drones and Ukrainian FPVs on the battlefield, is shifting from expensive, operator-controlled weapons to autonomous systems capable of mass deployment. Unlike previous drones, Project Artemis seeks to operate in areas of intense radio-frequency jamming that knocks out GPS navigation and direct links to an operator. The relevance of this shift is profound: Cinder doesn’t just adapt to the future of warfare, it defines it. Its ability to identify, track, and destroy high-value targets without operator input could drastically reshape the U.S. military’s approach to strike operations, particularly in peer conflict scenarios.
Cinder’s technical edge lies in its integration of Teledyne FLIR’s Prism Supervisor and Prism SKR (pronounced “Seeker”) software suites. Mounted with a FLIR Boson thermal imaging camera, the drone can autonomously navigate, identify, and strike targets based on visual recognition algorithms, without reliance on satellite signals or remote commands. The Supervisor software acts as the drone’s mission brain, plotting routes and making dynamic decisions mid-flight, while SKR provides onboard Automatic Target Recognition (ATR). This enables Cinder to distinguish between decoys and actual targets like T-62, T-72, T-80, and T-90 tanks, identify thermal signatures such as engine heat, and choose optimal aim points, like hitting a tank from behind to ensure destruction rather than striking frontal armor. In short, this is not just a drone, it’s an autonomous hunter-killer platform.
The Cinder system is the result of rapid development driven by operational necessity. With Project Artemis requiring prototypes and successful demonstrations within mere months, Dragoon teamed up with Teledyne FLIR to leverage existing AI-enabled sensor software that had already been field-tested in harsh environments. Cinder was designed to meet Artemis’ requirement for a range of 50–300 kilometers, vastly outpacing conventional FPVs and loitering munitions like the Switchblade 300 and 600, which typically offer 10 to 40 kilometers. Unlike the Switchblade, which still depends on human guidance, Cinder operates fully autonomously, providing true “fire-and-forget” functionality. Moreover, its resistance to electronic warfare (EW) and reliance on onboard optical navigation offers an edge in contested electromagnetic environments, a capability increasingly vital as NATO and adversary forces escalate their use of RF jamming on the frontlines.
Cinder’s advantages over peer systems are significant. Compared to Russian Lancet drones, Cinder not only surpasses them in range and autonomy but also in precision. While Lancets often execute head-on strikes with limited targeting flexibility, Cinder can select optimal strike vectors and discriminate between multiple targets in real time. This level of precision, especially in a GPS-denied zone, is a leap forward and could address one of NATO’s major vulnerabilities, armor survivability. In simulated combat environments, Russian Lancets have repeatedly disabled Western-supplied tanks, including Leopard 2s and M1 Abrams, by exploiting their lack of active protection and predictable deployment patterns. Cinder provides a scalable counter to that threat.
Strategically, the emergence of Cinder signals a major step toward doctrinal change. Its ability to operate without communication links and identify targets without human input could revolutionize how NATO and U.S. forces conduct deep strike missions. In a future conflict against Russia or China, both equipped with layered air defenses and EW tools, autonomous drones like Cinder would be critical for suppressing defenses, destroying mobile missile launchers, and targeting command-and-control nodes. Cinder fits into a larger strategy of distributed, attritable warfare, where inexpensive systems overwhelm adversaries in numbers rather than relying on a few costly assets. Moreover, its compatibility with the Golden Dome defense architecture envisioned under Donald Trump’s defense policy adds a layer of integration with U.S. homeland missile defense, potentially allowing future Cinder variants to operate as counter-strike systems against mobile launchers threatening American territory.
The Cinder drone represents a watershed moment in the evolution of autonomous loitering munitions. With AI-powered visual recognition, deep-strike range, resistance to EW, and a price tag designed for mass deployment, it redefines the role of drones in modern warfare. As part of Project Artemis and the broader Golden Dome initiative, it positions the United States not just to match adversaries like Russia in drone warfare, but to lead the next era of autonomous, intelligent battlefield systems. In a world where the speed, autonomy, and precision of weapons will determine victory, Cinder is the embodiment of the next strategic leap.
