Heaviside unveils Tyr anti-tank loitering munition with Nammo partnership
Heaviside, a two-year-old US-Norwegian drone company, has announced its Tyr loitering munition for the low-cost expendable drone market. The company is based in Los Angeles but conducts much of its engineering and testing in Norway near Nammo, which supplies anti-tank warheads derived from the M72 LAW and provides a live-fire test range. Tyr weighs about 15 pounds, carries a warhead capable of defeating main battle tanks, and is priced well below $100,000, according to company president Nils Haagenrud.
Heaviside is a two-year-old startup split between Los Angeles and Norway. Its headquarters and leaders are in California, while much design, development and testing happens near Nammo, which supplies Tyr’s anti-tank warheads and a live-fire range. Named for a Norse deity, Tyr weighs about 15 pounds, roughly one-third warhead, enough to defeat tanks such as the T-72 or T-80.
The company says Tyr costs far below $100,000 and uses many commercial components. Its targeting fuses electro-optical and infrared sensors with video navigation, enabling autonomous search but requiring operator approval before strike. Heaviside is also developing the Nyx underwater vehicle and holds a $99 million Army IDIQ ceiling for its MOTH spectrum analyzer.
Cheaper anti-tank loitering munitions like Tyr could alter how militaries equip infantry units, potentially giving small teams more ability to threaten armored vehicles. Defense firms may face pressure to lower costs and speed testing, while soldiers and tank crews could encounter more numerous, harder-to-detect threats. The human-in-the-loop design may shape public debate over autonomous weapons, and adoption could affect allied procurement and regional security.