World’s first unmanned combat aircraft to reach Mach 2.1 distances officially launches with $ 16 million price tag
- An airline in Singapore has launched the world’s first supersonic drone
- An arrow is an unmanned combat aircraft used in reconnaissance missions
- It can launch independently, but can be controlled by a manned vehicle
- An arrow can be set with different weapon sets to accomplish different tasks
- The starting price is $ 9 million but will go up to $ 16 million with different features
Singapore-based Kelley Aerospace has officially launched the first unmanned combat aircraft (UCAV).
Called ‘Arrow’, the drone is designed with a single shell made of lightweight carbon fiber that allows it to read speed up to Mach 2.1 – exceeding the speed of sound.
The UCAV is equipped with a reduced radar cross section and an infrared signature, and is designed for multiple combat or reconnaissance positions.
The company says it has received more than 100 pre-orders for the war machine, which will cost between $ 9 million and $ 16 million.
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Singapore-based Kelley Aerospace has officially launched the first unmanned aerial vehicle
The Arrow is designed to complement manned aircraft and be a force multiplier in the field of aerial battlefield, ‘Kelley Aerospace said on its website.
A fighter jet would take control of ‘multi-arrow’ UAVs, forcing them ‘each with different missions.’
This allowed military officers to add different weapons according to the mission.
Kelley also says Arrow can be launched independently or remotely controlled by two ground station controllers.
Called ‘Arrow’, the single-shell drone is made of lightweight carbon fiber that allows it to read speed up to Mach 2.1 – exceeding the speed of sound
The company says it has received more than 100 pre-orders for the war machine, which will cost between $ 9 million and $ 16 million
The maximum weight of an arrow is 37,038 pounds, but its monocoque design ‘reinforces the arrow with exceptional strength and stiffness,’ the companies shared in a statement.
However, what makes this device so special is that it was the first to travel faster than sound speed, which is Mach 1 – but Arrow Mach can reach 2.1.
It is estimated to cost no more than $ 16 million with prices as low as $ 9 million.
Kelley notes that this ‘allows more airframes to be purchased’ but nonetheless, there is a multifunctional supersonic UCAV to accomplish high-risk missions as it does not have to return home. ‘
The company conducted its first scale prototype test tours in 2014, Flight Global reports.
Kelley Aerospace is set to become a major player in the supersonic realm, and perhaps the UCAV Arrow is the pressure it needs to take over.
A manned fighter jet would control ‘multiple’ arrow UAVs, forcing them ‘each with different missions.’ This allowed military officers to add different weapons according to the mission
At a launch event in Singapore in December 2020, the company revealed that they were also developing a supersonic business jet.
And two prototypes report that they are being tested in the US and Sweden.
Kelley Aerospace chief Ian Lim says: ‘UAVs are famous for their survival… loitering, [but] they are never famous for their distance. So with the Arrow supersonic UAV, you get over speed and accessibility issues. ‘
Other combat jets have the ability to reach supersonic speed, but most can only do so for short explosions.
Last year, the Pentagon announced plans to commission a prototype for a prototype of a new supersonic Air Force that could one day deliver a ferry to the president worldwide at nearly twice the speed and a half current travel time
And the new F-35 fighter jets are one of them.
The jets, which were also purchased by the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps, are at risk of ‘structural damage’ when they hit their maximum speeds of around 1,200mph, which could cause damage. on their ability to capture other planes, according to a report by the U.S. Department of Defense.
Last year, the Pentagon announced plans to commission a prototype for a prototype of a new supersonic Air Force that could one day deliver a ferry to the president worldwide at nearly twice the speed and a half time required for travel – but the innovation is still in the early stages of development.