British weapons specialists say they have designed a game-changing propeller-powered aircraft capable of launching laser-guided munitions at tanks, helicopters and other targets on the ground or in the air.
Small, remote-controlled copters that drop grenades onto enemy positions have become a feature of modern warfare, but until now they were thought to be too unstable to be integrated with more sophisticated weapon systems.
Flyby Technology, a drone development company based in York, UK , has done just that after pooling resources with the defence firm Thales, in Belfast , Ireland.
The companies announced a newly modified drone, the Jackal, after it successfully fired two lightweight multirole missiles (LMMs), also known as Martlets as part of six-week test carried out for the RAF in the UK.
The 1,100 mph missiles , which are made by Thales and armed with concentrated explosive charges , are usually shot from shoulder launchers or larger manned platforms.
A combination of stabilisation technology built into the Jackal and the very low-recoil design of the Martlet made the launch possible.
The missile-armed drone can be used on the battlefield to against infantry units and armoured tanks.
Attacks can be conducted close to friendly forces.
The drone can also engage in air-to-air combat — targeting other UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles) and helicopters in flight.
The 16kg (35lb) Martlet missile, which has a 6km range, is a versatile projectile than can be launched from a variety of platforms.
The missile is designed to create very low recoil force on the launch platform.
