CFX-20 RATTLER: The Workhorse of Group 1–3 Threat Replication

Operational System | In Production

Rattler is purpose-built for the sustained, high-volume Group 1–3 UAS threat replication that serious counter-UAS training programs demand. Not optimized for swarm density or a single threat dimension — optimized for breadth, repeatability, and the volume of reps that builds real operator proficiency across the full Group 1–3 threat range.

The Training Problem

One Event Isn’t a Training Program.

Counter-UAS proficiency isn’t built in a single training event. It’s built through sustained repetition against the full range of Group 1–3 threats — diverse flight profiles, speed regimes, maneuver patterns, and approach geometries — executed at the volume and frequency that moves operators from familiarization to genuine readiness.

The problem most programs face isn’t access to a single good training event. It’s sustaining the throughput of realistic, repeatable, affordable target presentations across a full training calendar, without burning through budget in the first quarter or limiting operators to the same narrow threat profile every time.

What Rattler Is

Broad-Spectrum. High-Volume. Built to Last the Program.

The CFX-20 Rattler is ABSI’s purpose-built aerial target system for sustained, high-volume Group 1–3 UAS threat replication. Where other systems in the ABSI portfolio specialize — Gnat Storm for swarm density, Pit Viper for dual-role high-speed profiles, Nomad for long-range one-way attack fidelity — Rattler is the workhorse that delivers broad-spectrum Group 1–3 coverage at the volume a sustained training program demands.

Rattler supports diverse speed regimes, maneuverability profiles, and operational behaviors across the Group 1–3 range — from small, low-slow FPV-class threats to larger Group 3 systems with extended range and payload. A modular payload architecture accommodates instrumentation, telemetry, and mission-specific sensors, making Rattler equally capable in both training and test and evaluation environments.

Unlike legacy approaches that rely on modified commercial or hobby-grade drones with limited realism and scalability, Rattler is purpose-built and U.S.-manufactured — designed from the ground up to replicate real threats and sustain operational tempo across a full training program.

NDAA-compliant variants will run ABSI’s own U.S.-manufactured flight controller upon its production release this summer — addressing the single most constrained component in domestic drone manufacturing. Remaining avionics components are sourced from NDAA-compliant supply chains, with a full ABSI-developed avionics stack on the roadmap.

Key Capabilities

Broad-Spectrum Group 1–3 Threat Replication
Replicates the full range of Group 1–3 UAS threats — diverse speed regimes, maneuver profiles, and operational behaviors — not a single threat dimension. The range that a complete training program requires.
Sustained High-Volume Operations
Engineered for repeated sorties and high-tempo training events. Moves programs beyond single-event use to sustained, program-level execution — the reps and sets that build genuine operator proficiency.
Flexible Payload Architecture
Accommodates instrumentation, telemetry, and mission-specific payloads — supporting both training and test and evaluation requirements without platform redesign.
Affordable at Operational Scale
Purpose-built cost profile enables high-volume training without prohibitive attrition expense. Sustaining the program doesn’t require choosing between frequency and budget.
Two Procurement Configurations
Available in NDAA-compliant variant for standard DoD procurement, and C-UAS training-optimized variant under the Section 817 FY2023 NDAA exemption — for maximum threat fidelity with authentic adversary emissions.

System Specifications

Airframe Type	Fixed-wing — replicates the speed, endurance, and approach geometries of Group 1–3 fixed-wing UAS threats across the broadest threat range in the ABSI portfolio.
Threat Coverage	Group 1–3 UAS — diverse speed regimes, maneuver profiles, and operational behaviors
Flight Profiles	Stable and dynamic — replicates evasive maneuvers, altitude transitions, and mission-driven routing
Sortie Generation	Optimized for sustained high-tempo operations and repeated sorties
Payload Architecture	Flexible — accommodates telemetry, instrumentation, and mission payloads
Launch & Recovery	Adaptable to diverse operating environments and range constraints
Deployment	Portable, rapid fielding — supports distributed operations and austere environments
Flight Controller	ABSI-designed, U.S.-manufactured — the most supply chain-constrained component in NDAA-compliant drone production, now resolved in-house. Transition to ABSI controller upon production release, summer 2026.
Other Avionics	GPS sourced from NDAA-compliant supply chains. Full ABSI-developed avionics stack on the roadmap.
NDAA-Compliant Variant	Supply chain validated for NDAA compliance. Standard DoD procurement — no exception-to-policy required.
C-UAS Training Variant	Authentic adversary component set. Procured under Section 817, FY2023 NDAA exemption for C-UAS surrogate testing and training.

Detailed performance parameters, system configurations, and integration options are tailored to mission requirements. Contact our team to discuss how Rattler can support your specific test, training, or evaluation objectives. .

Use Cases - Applications

Primary

Sustained Group 1–3 counter-UAS training across the full threat range
Live-fire and force-on-force training scenarios
Weapons system and sensor testing and evaluation
Development and validation of counter-UAS TTPs

Secondary

Homeland security and law enforcement counter-drone training
Multi-system coordinated training events within the ABSI GCS ecosystem
Scalable threat volume for complex, multi-axis engagement scenarios

ABSI AERIAL TARGETS ECOSYSTEM

One control system. Every threat class. Seamless training at scale.

Rattler is the scalable backbone of the ABSI aerial target ecosystem — the system that provides the sustained Group 1–3 threat volume and repeatability that complex, multi-system training scenarios are built around. All ABSI systems operate within a common GCS architecture, enabling Rattler to serve as the high-volume foundation for coordinated training events that layer in Gnat Storm’s swarm density, Pit Viper’s high-speed profiles, and the full range of ABSI threat replication capabilities.

Acquisition Pathway

In Production. Available Now.

Rattler is available to U.S. government customers, prime contractors, and authorized partners through the Defense Logistics Agency’s Special Operational Equipment Tailored Logistic Support (DLA SOE/TLS) program and direct contracting pathways.

Available in both NDAA-compliant and C-UAS training-optimized configurations. Your acquisition pathway determines your configuration — not your vendor.

Not sure which configuration fits your program? The C-UAS training-optimized variant is available under Section 817 of the FY2023 NDAA — a statutory exemption that gives counter-UAS training programs explicit authority to procure authentic adversary component systems without standard NDAA supply chain restrictions. Contact ABSI and we’ll walk your team through the pathway.

Build the Program. Sustain the Tempo.

Rattler delivers the sustained Group 1–3 threat volume your training program needs — at the cost, breadth, and repeatability that turns a single training event into a year-round readiness program.