Selex Unveils Plans for Two New Target Drones

Following the 2010 announcement of the Mach 0.9, low-radar-cross-section Mirach 100/X, Selex Galileo have unveiled plans for two new products in their long-established target drone range.

The jet-powered Mirach 40 and piston-engined, propeller-driven Mirach 35P will share a common fuselage, and will, the company hopes, appeal to customers for whom the 100/X and the venerable 100/5 are too fast, too expensive, or impossible to purchase due to export restrictions.

'We need to complete our product portfolio with alternative solutions,' said Fabio Pauluzzo, head of UAS at the company's production facility.

'The Mirach platform remains a very good product for qualification and training, but of course, for extensive campaigns or for currency training it could be too expensive for some customers. That's why we have started the development of a new aerial target family based on the same airframe,' he added.

Both new designs are based around a downsized version of the fuselage of the highly successful 100/5. The smaller airframes will use the extant Mirach pneumatic launch system, obviating the need for pyrotechnic material, and clearing the way to export markets that the 100/5 and /X, with their rocket boosters, are prevented from selling to. The aircraft will also enable Selex to market to customers with requirements for lower speed target drones.

The 100/X, meanwhile, is nearing the qualification phase. 'Flight testing was completed successfully as part of a demonstration given to one of our potential cusomters,' said Pauluzzo.

'What is missing, basically, are some minor details to be finalised in terms of external fuselage, industrialisation - but it's really minor. We consider that the 100/X is ready for production, and ready to be sold.'

Selex also argue that a fifth Mirach derivative, the Nibbio, shows that the company is well positioned to compete for future requirements for reconnaissance missions in high-threat airspace. Nibbio turns the basic Mirach 100/5 design from a target drone to a surveillance platform, capable of carrying EO/IR, SAR, EW and CBRN detection payloads up to 70kg on 400km-range missions. A similar conversion of the stealthier, faster 100/X could provide a "quick look" reconnaissance capability for denied airspace, though it would clearly be unable to provide persistent ISTAR.

'We flew the Mirach in a recce role from fixed-wing [platforms] and helicopters in the '80s," said Carlo Siardi, head of UAS and Simulation business development. "But the customers were conducting peacekeeping missions, and this meant there was no survivability issue. Now this is becoming an issue, and everybody is really worried about what to do - but we are ready. The Mirach 100/X can be transformed into a deep penetration recce [platform] very easily, and will be almost unbeatable.'