One-way attack drones, also known as suicide drones, have changed the battlefield. Russia has used them to such a devastating effect in the Ukraine war that now even the legacy missile manufacturers are taking note and adjusting their production strategies accordingly.
MBDA, Europe’s largest missile manufacturer, has unveiled its new, low-cost, one-way attack drones at the ongoing Paris Air Show (June 16-19). The company showcased a scaled model of the kamikaze drone at the exhibition; the full-size version is expected to be around 10 feet long.
For now, MBDA is calling it ‘One-Way Effector.’ The company plans to mass-produce these drones at a fraction of the cost of its cruise missiles. MBDA is aiming to deliver over 1,000 of these drones every month. For perspective, MBDA’s production rate for the Mistral surface-to-air missile is approximately 40 missiles per month.
The company is planning to partner with an unnamed French automotive firm and a French drone manufacturer to scale up production of these drones.
MBDA’s Shift From High-Value Missiles To Cheap Drones
MBDA’s shift to mass-produce these low-cost drones shows how the Ukraine war and the role of Iranian Shahed-136 drones in this war have changed the battlefield tactics globally.
Drones have emerged as the most crucial battlefield weapon in the Ukraine war, with both sides using hundreds of drones daily.
This year, Ukraine has set a target of producing 4.5 million drones. On the other side, Russia is aiming to produce between 3 and 4 million drones in 2025, according to the New York Times.
A lesson from the high-intensity warfare in Ukraine is the need for mass, and the new munition is one of the answers offered by MBDA, Hugo Coqueret, Business Development Manager at MBDA, told Defense News.
“The mission is really one of saturation,” Coqueret said. “It has been designed to meet this need for the return of mass in the armed forces, to cause saturation of enemy forces.”
Notably, the product exhibited by MBDA at the Paris Air Show is a new kind of product for the company, which has traditionally manufactured high-value, precision missiles, costing millions of dollars, including the SCALP and the Taurus.
The SCALP (Storm Shadow) missile costs approximately USD 1 million to USD 2 million per missile.
MBDA envisages the ‘One Way Effector’ drones being used in conjunction with much smaller numbers of far more expensive cruise missiles. The strategy would be to send a large number of cheap, expendable drones to saturate the enemy air defenses before utilizing the high-value cruise missiles.
In this way, ‘One Way Effector’ drones will complement the MBDA’s existing catalogue of missiles.
Differences With Iranian Shahed-136
Though inspired by the deadly use of Iranian Shahed-136 drones in the Ukraine war by Russia, the ‘One Way Effector’ drones of MBDA will differ in many crucial aspects.
Most importantly, it will differ in the propulsion system.
Unlike the Shahed, which is typically powered by a piston engine, the MBDA drone will be powered by a jet engine in its basic form. The use of a jet engine will significantly enhance this drone’s speed.
Notably, a jet-powered version, the Shahed 238 (Geran-3), exists but is not widely used in the Ukraine war.
According to Army Recognition, the Shahed-136 drone, also known as Geran-2 in Russia, has a maximum speed of 185 km/hr and an estimated range from 1,000 to 2,500 km. It can fly at an altitude from 60 to 4,000 m.
However, the use of a jet engine will enable the MBDA drone to fly at speeds of over 400 km/hr, making it significantly more difficult to intercept. However, the MBDA drone will have much less range. It will be able to fly approximately 500 km when carrying an 80-pound warhead.
“It’s relatively fast and carries a significant payload,” Coqueret said. “All of that means that the enemy’s ground-based air defense is forced to destroy it with high-value-added systems. Everything is designed to generate saturation.”
The drone will have an internal GPS guidance system to find its target.
French Automakers To Manufacture Drones
Notably, MBDA stated that it will partner with an undisclosed French automotive company to mass-produce these drones. MBDA has a target of producing more than 10,000 such drones every month.
MBDA is not naming the auto partner at this time, though Coqueret said it’s not Renault. This is significant because Renault announced earlier this month that it is also entering the drone manufacturing market. Renault announced that it would collaborate with a small drone specialist in Ukraine to mass-produce drones.
The facility will supply drones not only to the Ukrainian military but to the French armed forces as well.
“We have been contacted by the defence ministry about the possibility of producing drones. Discussions have taken place, but no decision has been taken at this stage, as we are awaiting further details on this project from the ministry,” Renault said in a statement to Reuters.
This means that after Renault, another French automaker can enter drone production in partnership with MBDA.
Return Of Automakers To Defense Production
Enrolling automakers in drone production can have many advantages. Firstly, it can help in utilizing the industrial capacity of automakers. Defense companies can also utilize the expertise of automakers in engine technology to produce jet engines for the drones.
Thirdly, automakers can help in mass-producing drones and keeping their costs low.
During the Second World War, numerous automakers, including Ford, Mitsubishi, Renault, General Motors (GM), Chrysler, Austin Motor Company, Morris Motors, Volkswagen, Opel, Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Porsche, Toyota, Nissan, Fiat, and many others, contributed to defense production. Many of these auto firms produced aircraft, aircraft engines, tanks, military trucks, armored vehicles, and guns.
It seems that the return of conventional warfare to Europe after nearly eight decades is once again pushing auto firms to re-enter defense manufacturing.
- Sumit Ahlawat has over a decade of experience in news media. He has worked with Press Trust of India, Times Now, Zee News, Economic Times, and Microsoft News. He holds a Master’s Degree in International Media and Modern History from the University of Sheffield, UK.
- VIEWS PERSONAL OF THE AUTHOR.
- He can be reached at ahlawat.sumit85 (at) gmail.com
