First Introduction of Rifle-Type Attack Drone... How is Its Performance?

[Asia Economy Military Specialist Yang Nak-gyu] The attack drones, known as the 'Silent Assassins,' will be introduced to our military as well. Although reconnaissance drones have been operated in the past, this is the first time various types of attack drones, which will act as 'game changers' on the battlefield, are being introduced.

On the 2nd, the Defense Acquisition Program Administration announced, "We plan to introduce three types of drones?a suicide drone made with civilian technology, a small precision shooting drone, and a small reconnaissance-strike hybrid drone?as part of a rapid demonstration acquisition project, and the military is expected to conduct trial operations within as soon as three months."

The 'suicide drone' is a drone carried by soldiers when infiltrating enemy lines. The drone uses a foldable design, allowing four units to fit into a backpack for easy portability. It employs an active automatic guidance (Fire & Forget) system, where the drone autonomously locates and strikes designated targets without operator control after launch.

The rifle precision shooting drone mounts a K-2 rifle under the airframe to remotely strike targets. When the drone fires the rifle, it is designed to minimize recoil to maintain the same posture. This enables rapid and accurate remote shooting. Additionally, it is equipped with a high-magnification electro-optical (EO) camera, allowing it to strike distant targets and potentially replace the role of a sniper.

The small reconnaissance-strike hybrid drone precisely targets enemies hiding on mountain slopes. It can attack moving targets in locations difficult to bombard with mortars or other artillery using video tracking devices. The hybrid drone consists of the airframe, detection devices, explosive devices, GPS (position tracking device), and anti-jamming equipment. It can acquire precise coordinates day and night and effectively strike moving enemy equipment such as command vehicles.

In the future, the military plans to develop company-level attack drones capable of precision strikes on enemy company-level targets and command posts. In particular, by the first half of 2022, they aim to complete the development of autonomous tactical maneuvering software for rifle drones using the 'Swarm Robots' system. Once swarm robots are developed, drone attacks like those seen in the Hollywood movie 'Angel Has Fallen' will become possible. The attack drones depicted in 'Angel Has Fallen' use facial recognition devices to strike targeted individuals.

Meanwhile, in October 2016, the United States conducted a test where three FA-18 Super Hornet fighter jets deployed 103 small unmanned drones. These small drones, called 'Perdix,' were developed by MIT Lincoln Laboratory. They measure 16.5 cm in length, have a wingspan of 30 cm, and weigh only 290 grams. These drones share a central processing command system, allowing them to adjust the number of drones in groups and coordinate flight status with other drones depending on the situation.