Serbia unveils loitering munition developments

Serbia has disclosed development of two new local loitering weapon system programmes: the Gavran and the RW-24.

Developed by the state-owned Yugoimport, the Gavran is 4.5 m in length, with a wingspan of 3.2 m and a payload-inclusive take-off weight of 50 kg. Canister-launched using a solid propellant booster, the Gavran is powered by a two-cylinder combustion engine driving a push propeller developing a cruising speed of 120 km/h, and enabling a loitering duration of up to 30 minutes at altitudes of 1,500 m at ranges of between 50 km and 100 km. The munition is furnished with GPS/GLONASS mid-course guidance and a TV/imaging infrared (IIR) sensor for terminal guidance at engagement approach angles of between 15° and 75°. Lethality options include a 12 kg/175 mm calibre-combined shaped-charge/high-explosive fragmentation warhead, or 13 kg/122 m calibre, 10.5 kg/130 mm calibre, and 6.4 kg/145 mm blast fragmentation warheads.

The Gavran weapon system is designed to operate in swarms of munitions directed from a single ground station, which is used for launching, entering flight data, and securing flight control through encrypted radio datalinks.

The Gavran is in the initial development phase, which is expected to result in near-term production of a prototype, follow-on testing, and serial production of a low-cost intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR)/strike weapon system designed to address a wide range of stationary and mobile targets, including main battle tanks and other armoured platforms, self-propelled air defence systems, radars, conventional and rocket artillery systems, command posts and fortified shelters, personnel, maritime combat vessels, and unmanned air systems.

The RW-24 loitering weapon system is a partnering development between the Abu Dhabi Autonomous Systems Investments (ADASI) and Halcon, both part of the UAE's Edge Group, and Teleoptik-Žiroskopi and Sloboda of Serbia. Janes