The "loitering munition" is the logical evolution of the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) / Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS). Early forms of the type were dedicated to Intelligence-Surveillance-Reconnaissance (ISR) roles and led to more advanced armed models capable of search, tracking, and engagement. The loitering munition is an expendable weapon where the UAV serves as the delivery method for its explosive payload. Such types are also known under the general names of "kamikaze drone" and "suicide drone", better detailing their over-battlefield roles. The earliest examples were seen in the 1980s.
Israel has been a pioneer and primary player in the field of unmanned aircraft systems and the IAI "Harpy" is largely considered one of the first suicide drones in existence - these initially used in the Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses (SEAD) and now broadened to include short-, medium-, and long-range solutions in fire support and tactical strike roles. Loitering munitions have proven cost-effective with small profiles and nearly zero acoustic signatures - making them as close to a perfect weapon as can be had today.
The Elbit "Skystriker", another Israeli development, is billed as such - a long-range, cost-effective loitering munition that provides, not only on-call firepower, but tactical reconnaissance capabilities over an active warzone. The system can support conventional troops on the ground as well as special forces operatives requiring precision striking. It is a fully-autonomous system capable of search, track, and engagement actions with target designation accomplished by the ground operator.
As the unit utilizes an all-electric motor drive for propulsion, it is only audible near the point of impact, rendering the target neutralized before it can react.
The Skystrike carries its 5 kilogram warhead within the fuselage and showcases low-cost avionics through a conventional design arrangement. The wing mainplanes are mounted low against the sides of the tubular fuselage and a single-rudder tail unit is featured at the extreme aft-end of the vehicle. The two-bladed propeller unit sits at the end of the fuselage in a "pusher" configuration.
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(OPERATORS list includes past, present, and future operators when applicable)
✓Ground Attack (Bombing, Strafing)
Ability to conduct aerial bombing of ground targets by way of (but not limited to) guns, bombs, missiles, rockets, and the like.
✓Intelligence-Surveillance-Reconnaissance (ISR), Scout
Surveil ground targets / target areas to assess environmental threat levels, enemy strength, or enemy movement.
✓Special Forces
Serving Special Forces / Special Operations elements and missions.
✓Unmanned Capability
Aircraft inherently designed (or later developed) with an unmanned capability to cover a variety of over-battlefield roles.
Installed:
1 x Electric Motor driving two-bladed propeller unit in pusher configuration.
(Showcased performance specifications pertain to the base Elbit Skystriker production variant. Performance specifications showcased above are subject to environmental factors as well as aircraft configuration. Estimates are made when Real Data not available. Compare this aircraft entry against any other in our database or View aircraft by powerplant type)
5kg explosive payload.
Supported Types
(Not all ordnance types may be represented in the showcase above)
Hardpoint Mountings: 0
Skystriker - Base Series Name.
Ribbon graphics not necessarily indicative of actual historical campaign ribbons. Ribbons are clickable to their respective aerial campaigns / operations / aviation periods.
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Azerbaijan; Israel
