The UK is looking for an analog of the Lancet kamikaze drone for the military

17 November, 2024 IAI Harpy. Photo credits: IAI The Ministry of Defense of the United Kingdom is in the final stages of exploring an analog of the Lancet kamikaze drone.

This was reported as part of an update on the status of the Medium Range Precision Strike program. Due to the deteriorating geopolitical situation in Europe, the UK Ministry of Defense is seeking to expand the search for a modern kamikaze drone capable of performing tasks similar to the Russian Lancet. The published terms of reference state that the drone should have a flight range of up to 60-80 km and stay in the air for up to 40 minutes in standby mode.

The ALTIUS-600 kamikaze drone.

Photo credits: Area-I

Since the program has been at various evaluation stages since 2019, the Ministry of Defense decided to accelerate its implementation and plans to select the appropriate product by 2027, with its adoption in the same year. The total funding budget is GBP120 million, which, according to the Ministry, will be sufficient to equip the troops with new weapons. In addition, it should be noted that the Medium Range Precision Strike program plans to replace the Israeli long-range Spike-NLOS system, which was previously used as a medium-range system for targeted destruction.

Currently, the following requirements for the system have been formulated: it must be portable for use by personnel and transportable by land, air, and sea platforms with the ability to be safely launched from both land and sea platforms. The new model must provide high accuracy of destruction at a minimum range of 60 kilometers, as well as be able to operate in a wide range of climatic and natural conditions, ensuring all-weather and round-the-clock combat capability, and be resistant to the effects of environments with a high level of threats.

WARMATE 3.0 loitering munitions. Photo credits: WB Electronics

The system must be able to transmit real-time video in a format that allows for clear target identification.

The munition itself must be capable of staying in the air for at least 40 minutes at an average speed of at least 100 km/h and engage the full range of typical enemy targets, including static and moving armored vehicles, manpower, and high-speed small attack boats. Autonomy should be based on the ability to use a replaceable battery or warhead that allows for safe reloading in civilian logistics. The operator must be able to interrupt the attack after its initiation in response to real-time target information and redirect the munition to hit the same or another target based on the entered parameters.

In addition, the system must be able to operate in conditions of limited, degraded, or completely absent GPS signal.

Militarnyi previously reported that North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un, after testing locally developed attack drones, ordered their mass production.