Cummings Aerospace’s Hellhound S3, a turbojet-powered, 3D-printed kamikaze drone that flies faster than 375 mph, completed a demonstration on a U.S. Army test range.
Achieved on Hellhound S3, an unmanned aircraft system (UAS) designed to equip the U.S. Army’s Infantry Brigade Combat Teams (IBCTs) with the same combat power as Armored Brigades, this first flight confirms the S3’s ability to operate in a tactically relevant environment. Hellhound is manportable – all-up round (vehicle, launch canister and ground control system) weighs less than 25 pounds, allowing single-soldier deployment and enhancing Infantry mobility.
“Hellhound’s performance at AEWE 2025 highlighted a fundamental reality — speed matters, and quadcopters and prop-driven drones take too long to get downrange,” said Sheila Cummings, CEO of Cummings Aerospace. “While quadcopters and propeller-driven drones will still be puttering along behind friendly lines, Hellhound will already be over the target area, giving IBCTs the ability to strike faster, reach deeper into the battlespace, and decisively engage fleeting, time-sensitive targets.”
The demonstration also enabled defense and aerospace company Cummings Aerospace engineers to gather important feedback from warfighters, enabling the company to further refine the system.
By using AM and U.S. Department of Defense-approved commercial components, the team has been able to reduce production costs, simplify logistics and deliver advanced capabilities at lower costs than traditional systems.
In the coming months, Cummings Aerospace will conduct additional flight tests of the Hellhound S3 to bring the entire system to TRL-7; submit a proposal formally offering Hellhound to the U.S. Army’s Low Altitude Stalking and Strike Ordnance (LASSO) program and conduct demonstrations and tests of Hellhound for other customers.
Remember, you can post job opportunities in the AM Industry on 3D ADEPT Media free of charge or look for a job via our job board. Make sure to follow us on our social networks and subscribe to our weekly newsletter : Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn & Instagram! If you want to be featured in the next issue of our digital magazine or if you hear a story that needs to be heard, make sure to send it to contact@3dadept.com
