Loitering with Intent By David Oliver

Loitering with Intent

By David Oliver

Launching the Aerovironment Switchblade miniature loitering munition from a tube. © USMC

It is a fact that conflict is an ideal way of testing new weapon systems and the war in Ukraine is proving to be the case.

The deployment of unmanned aerial vehicles, or drones, have proved to be a game changer for the Ukrainian armed forces, and their latest iteration, the loitering munition (LM) or kamikaze drone, is adding a new deadly dimension to the war. The attack on a Russian oil refinery in July highlighted the use of LMs by both sides in the Ukraine war to inflict targeted losses using cheap technologies capable of waiting for targets to emerge.

Loitering munitions are remote-controlled airborne precision-strike munitions that combine the operational advantages of drones and guided missiles. The systems provide frontline forces with a combination of advanced intelligence gathering and target acquisition capabilities along with extended range firepower.

The Aerovironment Switchblade miniature loitering munition is launched from a tube. © USMC

LMs he were part of the United States’ US$800 million military aid package announced in April 2022 that included more than 120 Phoenix Ghost tactical drones recently developed by the US Air Force’s 645th Aeronautical Systems Group specifically to address Ukraine’s needs. Few details have been released of the Phoenix Ghost that is produced by the California-based Aevex Aerospace and was designed to help the Ukrainian military confront Russia in the Donbas region.

Also in the package were more than 100 Switchblade 300s, a miniature LM, designed by AeroVironment and used by US special forces. Small enough to fit in a backpack, the Switchblade launches from a tube, can remain airborne for between 10 to 40 minutes flying to the target area, before diving onto its target while detonating its explosive warhead.

At the same time, Ukraine has been developing its own domestic drone industry, using machines designed for use by Aerorozvidka, a one-time group of enthusiasts now converted into a force of military UAV pilots. Aerorozvidka’s fleet of drones include the R18, a domestically designed and built octocopter vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) drone with a range of 4 km, which can be in the air for about 40 minutes, and can carry 5 kg of free-falling bombs. Soviet cumulative RKG3 anti-tank grenades or RKG-1600 bombs have been adapted by the gunsmiths of the Ukrainian Mayak Plant and used as bombs. The R-18 drone is capable of carrying two weapons and dropping them from a height of 100-300 meters while hovering over the target.

Developed by Athion Avia, a Ukrainian-based manufacturer of UAV systems, the ST-35 Silent Thunder LM is designed to destroy targets in dense urban areas with low damage. Launched in October 2019, Silent Thunder completed a series of trials in 2020 during which it demonstrated that it could carry high-explosive anti-tank, fuelair explosive, and high-explosive fragmentation warheads weighing up to 3.5 kg each.

Silent Thunder features a VTOL design that integrates transponders, and singleuse munitions that will hit targets with 95 percent accuracy, within a 3 meters radius. Weighing 9.5kg, it has a cruising speed of 120-140 km/h with a 30 km operational range and can remain in the air for up to 60 minutes. However, it has only been produced and deployed operationally in small numbers while the Ukrainian forces continue to rely on US supplied LMs.

The Silent Thunder LM is being developed and built in Ukraine by Athion Avia. © Athion Avia

Russia’s KUB-BLA LM built by the Kalashnikov complex has been cleared for operations by the Russian military. © Kalashnikov

Despite the unmasking by Ukraine of the Kremlin’s much-vaunted war machine as a somewhat less technologically formidable force than had been presumed, Russia has attempted to develop its remote drone technology. A kamikaze drone, the KUB-BLA made by an offshoot of the Kalashnikov defence complex, is designed for defeating remote ground targets. The drone can deliver its explosive payload to manually set target coordinates or to an image of the target.

The claimed advantages of the Russian LM include covert launch, high accuracy, noiselessness and ease of use. The KUB-BLA has a 3 kg payload, a flying time of 30 minutes, and a 130 km/h top speed. In August 2022 the general director of the Kalashnikov concern Vladimir Lepin has said that the KUB-BLA mobile ammunition has completed State tests and had been recommended for adoption by the Russian army.

Recent reports have also claimed that Russia has been seeking to acquire Iranian drones. The Iranian Shahed-136 is an LM known as ‘Aramco Killer’, following the highly accurate attack on Abqaiq, a Saudi Aramco oil facility in 2019. Despite sophisticated radar and air defences, the Saudi forces were unable to stop the drone attack.

In September, according to a statement on the Armed Forces of Ukraine’s Strategic Communications Telegram channel, a “Shahed-136 long-range kamikaze UAV,” was said to have been destroyed by Ukrainian air defences near Kupyansk, in the eastern Kharkiv region.

Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Defence Industry has begun the mass production of a new type of kamikaze drone, called the Iti Qovan (Dog Chaser), which can stay in the air for up to 5 hours. The device has a special electronic protection system and is resistant to electronic interference. When the satellite GPS connection is lost, the drone is capable of performing an autonomous combat mission. The Dog Chaser also has several other advantages including the gathering of Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR).

Azerbaijan’s Azad Systems has begun manufacturing Aeronautics Defense Systems Orbiter 1K armed loitering munition under license from the Israeli company as the Zarba which independently scans the area, detects and destroys the moving or stationary target. In case the target is not detected, the system’s recovery capability allows it to return to its base and land safely using a parachute and an airbag. Launched from a catapult, the Zarba can fly for 2-3 hours, carrying a multi-sensor camera with day-and-night channels. The radius of effective use of the LM is 10-15 km, and the weight of its warheads 2.5 kg. The Zarba can reach speeds of up to 200 km/h.

Iran’s Shahed-136 LM is being sold to Russia for deployment in its war against Ukraine. © Iranian MoD

The Azerbaijan Ministry of Defence Industry’s recently unveiled the Iti Qovan (Dog Chaser) LM. © Azerbaijan MoD Israel Aerospace Industries canister-launched Harpy New Generation (NG) anti-radiation weapon. © IAI

Israel has been at the forefront of LM development and production. The Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) Harpy was the world’s first and most operational Anti-Radiation (AR) LM. It is a fireand-forget all-weather, day/night autonomous weapon system, launched from a ground vehicle behind the battle zone or from ship based launchers. Harpy effectively suppresses hostile SAM and radar sites for long duration, by detecting, attacking and destroying radar targets with a very high hit accuracy.

Weighing 135 kg, the 2.1 meters long LM has a range of 500 km. It is sealed within its launcher/ container, to endure harsh battlefield conditions. It can be fueled or defueled in the launcher, thus retaining its readiness at all time. The system uses periodical built-in test to maintain full readiness.

Designed to counter the newer types of air defense radar threats is the Harpy New Generation (NG) that has evolved since the introduction into service of its former version. The revamped model unveiled in 2016 introduced two major changes. Improvement, as well as extension, of the covered frequency band to much lower frequencies, to deal with all types of air defense radars, while still building on the

extensive capabilities of the former generation Harpy. A new AR seeker was packaged in the more advanced airframe which enabled better flying characteristics including a longer loiter time, extended range, higher altitude as well as commonality in maintenance and training.

In 2019, IAI unveiled the Mini Harpy, a tactical system designed for field or marine units. It is canister launched from land, marine and helicopter borne platforms, providing complete independence in intelligence collection for an updated situational picture and closing the attack circle at low cost. The LMs are launched towards the target area where they loiter the sky until the threat is detected. Upon detection, the systems locks in on the threat and attacks it for a quick, lethal closure. It was designed to provide operators with control up to the last moment, including cessation of attack at any stage. Electrically powered, the 45 kg Mini Harpy is extremely quiet, carries an 8 kg shaped charge, and operates over a mission range of 100 km for a duration of two hours.

The Hero series of high precision LM systems are designed and manufactured by the Israeli company UVision. All Heros are designed to operate in challenging battlefield conditions, including GPS denied environment and communication interferences. Their cruciform configuration enables high maneuverability that maintains ‘eyes-on target’ and accurate hitting capabilities in constrained battle scenarios. All UVision LMs are powered by an electric motor driving a pushing propeller.

Three systems have been fully developed and are currently in production. The smaller one of the family is the man-pack portable Hero30 that can be deployed within minutes. With speeds of up to 100 knots, weighing 7.8 kg with canister, it carries a 0.5 kg warhead and is ideal for anti-personnel missions. Designed for antitank missions, or other strategic objectives, the 18 kg Hero-120 is the largest of UVision tactical systems. It carries a 4.5 kg warhead and can endure an extended flight time of 60 minutes. Switching to the operational level, the third LM in production is the Hero-400EC; a 50 kg airframe, it carries a 10 kg warhead and has an endurance of 2 hours.

Three more systems are foreseen by UVision and probably await launch customers to be fully developed. In the tactical range we find the Hero-90, an extremely lightweight system, 12 kg, which has a LOS datalink range of 40 km. Perfect for light vehicle targets, it can ensure 45 minutes of flight time while carrying a warhead of more than 1.2 kg. Two strategic systems are proposed. The Hero-900 has a range of 150 km and an endurance of six hours, with a weight of 110 kg and a 30 kg payload. Weighing 155 kg, the Hero-1250 is the largest UAV in UVision’s fleet of strategic systems, carrying a lethal 30 kg warhead. With long-range flight capabilities of more than 200 km and an endurance of 10 hours, the Hero-1250 is a formibable LM weapon.

The Hero LMs are a series of operationally proven and widely deployed effectors, manufactured and distributed in Europe as part of a co-operation between UVision and Rheinmetall’s Italian subsidiary RWM Italia S.p.A., which in October 2021 signed a strategic partnership to address the rapidly growing market for loitering munitions. In July 2022 a first order from a major European NATO military force for Hero LMs was signed. EDR Magazine understands that a special forc-

UVision’s Hero-400EC is an all-electric LM system equipped with a 10 kg warhead. © UVision

es formation, ordered Hero-30 combat and training munitions, simulator, training courses as well as integrated logistic equipment and support, with delivery scheduled to take place by 2023.

The Hero LM system includes a single or multi-canister launcher, single or multiple LMs, communication technology, and a ground control module for the operator. The loitering munitions themselves are remote-controlled small air vehicles, each of which can attack ground targets – even beyond the line of sight (BLOS).

All models are equipped with high-resolution electro-optical sensors and infra-red cameras that enable the operator to locate, monitor and ultimately engage even time-critical lowsignature targets. In this way, enemy targets can be located, tracked, and verified to conduct precise strikes. The Hero can abort an attack in mid-air, return to flight mode and then resume the attack or reassign other targets, giving operators great tactical flexibility on the modern battlefield.

At Eurosatory 2022, yet another Israeli company, SpearUAV unveiled its Ninox 103 LM, which for the first time enables launch of submarine UAVs into the air, providing immediate BLOS situational awareness.

Designed for undetectable, underwater launch, the Ninox 103 is an autonomous AI-based system to provide an effective way for submarines, autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) and other underwater platforms to gain instant aerial capabilities. SpearUAVs’ Ninox family of VTOL mini-UAS are instantly launched, in either individual or swarm configuration to provide combat-proven on-demand and on-the-move air capabilities, and delivering instant ISTAR missions and an aerial LM for precision attack.

The US Army is considering purchasing another Israeli LM, Rafael’s Spike-Firefly, which was among those recently tested at the US Army Expeditionary Warrior Experiment 2022 at Fort Benning in Georgia. Rafael also announced that soldiers from the UK Army’s Household Cavalry Regiment took part in the drone assessment in the United States at Fort Benning. The SpikeFirefly is a disposable, transportable unmanned miniature tactical VTOL LM. The system is a BLOS over-battlefield solution intended for close-support in urban environments. It is part of the Rafael Spike Precision Guided Missile (PGM) family of weapons.

It is now clear that single-use loitering munitions are making an evermore significant impact to the modern battlefield.

The hand-launched SpearUAV Ninox 40 micro LM has an endurance of up to 40 minutes. © SpearUAV

Rafael’s Spike-Firefly is a portable vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) miniature tactical LM. © Rafael