Orbital Research's first generation of UAS and fire-control system (pictured on the left) is designed to be a part of a hunter-killer operating concept. (US Army)
A new hunter-killer unmanned aircraft system (UAS) configuration will begin testing in February with the 1st Battalion, 29th Infantry Regiment, the unit's air section leader told Janes on 7 February.
While the unit has already experimented with the first iteration of the weapon, the next generation, which contains several upgrades, is expected to begin testing in the second week of February, Sergeant Evin Gries, air section leader for the Experimental Force (EXFOR), told Janes in an interview on the sidelines of a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Maneuver Innovation Lab at Fort Moore, Georgia. The mortar-dropping UAS is one of several new technologies the unit has been asked to experiment with in recent years.
Orbital Research's UAS can carry up to four 60 mm mortars and two 81 mm mortars due to weight limitations, Sgt Gries said. The 60 mm mortar, weighing 2 kg, enables more to be carried at a time. It can also drop other kinds of munitions including dual-purpose warheads such as pre-formed tungsten frag munitions, according to charts shown during the ceremony.
In 2022 Orbital Research won a contract for 700 drop-glide munitions and 24 UAS and weapon release systems, according to a press release at the time.
Although EXFOR soldiers have not flown them yet, Teledyne FLIR's Rogue 1 loitering munition and Survice Engineering Company's TRV-150 UAS were demonstrated to let the unit get a “look at the new innovations that are coming out for some aircraft that we will have access to in the near future”, Sgt Gries told Janes
Looking to read the full article?
Gain unlimited access to Janes news and more...
