BAE Systems is using its Herti unmanned aerial vehicle as the basis for an armed reconnaissance and close air-support platform, dubbed Fury. Trial work has already begun with Thales using its Lightweight Multirole Missile (LMM), now in development, as the proposed primary armament.
Fury is being developed in collaboration with Thales, with its LMM designed from the outset with UAV use as one of its applications. Missile launch blast effect analysis trials have already been carried out, as has a static live fire test.
The LMM will likely use a laser-beam riding, semi-active laser guidance combination. Thales has previously suggested the weapon could be ready to enter service in 2011. The missile weighs 13 kilograms (28.6 pounds), and has a maximum range of 6,000 to 8,000 meters (3.75-5 miles).
BAE and Thales have yet to conduct a guided airborne launch of a live weapon. These trials will be used to show safe separation and that the air vehicle’s systems are capable of guiding the weapon to target.
Target acquisition, designation and tracking are provided by onboard systems, while target confirmation and final launch authority are given by the ground station operator.
The LMM is also being proposed as a weapon for the Schiebel Camcopter S-100 rotary UAV.
picture credit BAE Systems
