US is currently testing the prototype of a drone with firepower that is unmatched by any drone currently in use by the U.S.
According to a source from Breaking Defense during the Dubai International Airshow, the US corporation General Atomics company is developing a powerful unmanned combat aerial vehicle(UCAV).
General Atomics has built and flown a prototype of a deadly new drone with significantly more firepower than the US military’s current unmanned aircraft inventory, including the capability to launch a whopping 16 Hellfire missiles.
This drone can carry significantly more firepower than current drones in the US military or any current UCAV in the world, especially the ability to carry up to 16 Hellfire missiles.
The never-before-seen drone system made its maiden flight this summer at the company’s Desert Horizon test range, two sources close to Breaking Defense told Breaking Defense.
General Atomics spokesman C. Mark Brinkley declined to comment.
The new US drone features significant improvements that make it more suitable for operating in extreme conditions. The drone needs to be takeoff and land less than 250 meters long runway, making it capable of operating in difficult terrain, or even taking off from warships.
The maximum payload of the 16 Hellfire missiles it carries is twice the maximum payload of the Hellfire missiles that the MQ-1C Gray Eagle can carry and four times the number of missiles that the MQ-9 Reaper can carry.
This drone design is based on the version of the MQ-1C Gray Eagle but with longer wings. The new US drone also has avionics and is equipped with other capabilities such as automatic take-off and landing.
However, one source admitted, equipping this aircraft with 16 Hellfire missiles will affect its other capabilities and systems.
However, the corporation believes that this limitation will be overcome through the aircraft’s ability to take off quickly in a conflict, as well as the ability to quickly launch missiles to reduce the weight that the aircraft must carry. bearing, as well as prolonging its airborne service life.
“If it can take off from anywhere and quickly change its payload, that will change its ability to withstand.”
The name and design of the new drone have yet to be revealed, but General Atomics plans to release photos and some features of the system later this year. General Atomics has not yet begun discussions with the US military and potential international customers about the drone.