This combat drone can launch laser-guided missiles

Drones are definitely the stars of the DSEI Defense 2023, the defense and security exhibition which has been held since September 12 and until today, Friday 15, in the United Kingdom. After the presentation of an astonishing WASP M4-TL four-engine drone powered by a rocket launcher and a charger to fire swarms of drones with the SpearUAV MCL, here comes the star drone of the show. This is the Hydra 400 from Hydraa heavy four-engine drone, capable of firing laser-guided missiles at a target.

Presented on the British army stand, the device has a unique design with its hybrid engine mixing mini-reactors and classic rotors. It has two rows of mini-reactors on its sides. There can be 2, 4, 6 or 8. They are powered by a small kerosene tank, and deliver sufficient thrust to lift up to 400 kilos of payload. Once in the air, the aircraft behaves like a quadcopter drone, with its electric motor. Fully charged, the device can fly a distance of 25 kilometers. According to Hydra, its designer, it can just as easily transport medical equipment in quantity, 200 hand grenades, 8,000 5.56 mm bullets, two L111A1 heavy machine guns with their tripod, or even up to 35 sleeping bags. But with the prototype presented at the show, it is the presence of three missiles placed under the drone which is intriguing. Because, yes! The Hydra 400 is capable of carrying three missiles and firing them once in the air.

A drone armed with three laser-guided missiles

The three missiles in question are Brimstone developed by MBDA. Each missile weighs 50 kilos, measures 1.8 meters long and has a diameter of 180 millimeters. This gives an idea of ​​the size of the drone. The missile is guided by a millimeter wave radar and a semi-active laser. This weapon is renowned for its versatility, since it can be launched from helicopters, planes, land or naval vehicles, and now from a quadcopter drone. Its precision is formidable; In combat, he has a failure rate limited to 2%. It is capable of destroying a heavy tank or any other armored vehicle with a range of approximately 60 kilometers. The Hydra has the big advantage of fitting in the trunk of a military vehicle and it can be assembled and started in six minutes flat.

Effective day and night!

Once in the air, the Hydra 400 uses a range of sensors to detect surrounding dangers up to two kilometers away and in all weather conditions, day or night. It is an artificial intelligence (AI) trained by deep learning which is at work to detect different threats, whether static or mobile. The aircraft can even identify different types of flying objects. It is also capable of flying in collaboration with other drones. Finally, as a bonus, it does not need to rely on GPS to mark its targets on the ground or to drop or raise a payload. Practical in case of interference. The British army, which supports the development of this platform, now plans to train operators to manage this type of drone. The military has already been able to see the effectiveness of these devices, by testing other models such as the Hydra XL 300 and Malloy T400 drones. With them, they were able to simulate a medical evacuation of a person weighing 120 kilos over a distance of 25 kilometers.