New 'game-changing' attack drone will do away with fighter pilots in cockpits

A “game-changing” aircraft capable of firing laser-guided missiles at enemy targets has been successfully tested for the first time in RAF trials.

The remote-controlled “octocopter” drone, which has been given the name “the Jackal”, can fire state-of-the-art missiles at enemy tanks, aircraft, infantry units and other targets on the ground or in the air, The Times reports.

Developers say that “the days of the fighter pilot in a cockpit” are numbered following the successful trials.

The report says that although smaller versions of the copters have previously been able to drop grenades onto enemy positions, they have been considered too unstable to be fitted with more sophisticated weapon systems.

But two British companies have worked together to develop the modified drone that has successfully fired two lightweight multi-role missiles during a six-week test by the RAF.

The Jackal is capable of firing 1,100mph missiles, known as Marlets, that have typically been shot from shoulder launchers or larger manned platforms.

It has been developed by Flyby Technology, a drone development company based in York, and the defence firm Thales in Belfast.

The drone combines stabilisation technology and low-recoil, and the success of the trials brings unmanned air combat and close air support a step closer to reality, the companies said.

The missile has a range of 6km, and James Keown, an LMM expert at Thales, told The Times: “The Jackal is a very stable platform, it hovers superbly, and the purpose of our exercise was to show that.”

Flyby chief executive Jon Parker, a former RAF and Royal Navy fighter pilot, added that the “low noise footprint” allows pilots to engage targets undetected.

He said. “We can sit in tops of trees almost and shoot from a distance, without ever being detected.

“The beauty of the aircraft is it’s as quick as a manned helicopter. We don’t have to hover to engage with a target.

“We also have the ability to shoot from the wing — we can shoot in forward flight.”

Mr Parker said that the most “devastating” effect of the weapon will be the destruction it causes to communication lines and hardware behind enemy lines.

He added: “The days of having a fighter pilot in the cockpit are numbered. The future of warfare is changing and Jackal is part of that future as a true multi-role attack aircraft.”

The Times reports that Flyby Technology also collaborated with its Turkish partners Fly BVLOS Technology and Maxwell Innovations to develop the drone.

It said that other defence firms have been developing similar concepts, although it is believed that this is the first to prove successful in trials.

source: express.co.uk