Not exactly a start-up but certainly a relative newcomer to the defence industrial scene, California-based Heaviside Industries is unveiling the TYR – “a five-pound tank killer” according to a 12 October release – at AUSA 2026 in Washington this week. With four modular warhead options and an attack speed in excess of 150 mph, the munition sets a new bar for performance-to-weight and man-packable lethality, according to the manufacturer, extending standoff distances for dismounted infantry.
Weighing in at five pounds and with a total system weight of 15, TYR offers the opportunity to tailor lethality for specific mission sets with four modular warheads from NAMMO: shaped charge anti-tank; anti-structure; explosively-formed penetrator; and anti-personnel fragmentation. System flexibility, designed in from the outset, enables missions such as multi-domain operations or counter-UAS deployments to be undertaken.
Engagement range is quoted as over 25 miles and endurance of over 60 minutes, with the munition reaching speeds of up to 150 mph while simultaneously exhibiting low visual and acoustic signatures on missions in contested and GPS-denied environments. Crucially, it appears that Heaviside recognizes one of the key acquisition decision criteria that will be applied almost everywhere when considering adoption, stating that TYR is “priced for widespread adoption.”
TYR has completed live-fire testing and is currently under contract with US DoW customers. It has been developed and evaluated against operational requirements for range, lethality, portability and performance in contested environments, validating its ability to deliver lethal effects from a man-packable platform.
Main image: TYR is the first in what is intended to be a series of precision munitions from the California company. (Heaviside Industries)
