THE THAI air force today (June 3) showed off its new armed drone which was jointly developed by the air force’s Ordnance Department and the domestic defence industry and is fitted with M4 automatic rifle to increase its capabilities, Amarin TV said.
In addition to patrolling and gathering intelligence, this drone has been modified to carry weapons and explosives. It has been tested in real areas and has demonstrated the system’s potential to a satisfactory extent.
These new drones will be carrying defence patrol missions from Wing 3, Watthana Nakhon, Sa Kaeo province.
Fitting these drones with weapons is an important step in locally developing military technology for use by patrol units and ground forces. They help reduce casualties among soldiers carrying out missions to protect the nation’s sovereignty.
An unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV), also known as a combat drone, fighter drone or battlefield UAV, is an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) that is used for intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition, and reconnaissance and carries aircraft ordnance such as missiles, anti-tank guided missiles (ATGMs), and/or bombs in hardpoints for drone strikes, according to Wikipedia.
These drones are usually under real-time human control, with varying levels of autonomy. UCAVs are used for reconnaissance, attacking targets and returning to base; unlike kamikaze drones which are only made to explode on impact, or surveillance drones which are only for gathering intelligence.
Aircraft of this type have no onboard human pilot. As the operator runs the vehicle from a remote terminal, equipment necessary for a human pilot is not needed, resulting in a lower weight and a smaller size than a manned aircraft. Many countries have operational domestic UCAVs, and many more have imported fighter drones or are in the process of developing them.
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An armed drone developed by Thailand. Photos: Amarin TV
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