The test focuses on the TRV 150 logistics drone platform developed by Survival Engineering (a defense engineering company based in Maryland, USA).
This system is equipped with three 70-mm APKWS missile launchers integrated by the UK's major defense and aerospace corporation - BAE Systems through the advanced technology research and development division FalconWorks (under BAE Systems).
APKWS is an advanced precision guided weapon system, currently mainly deployed on attack helicopters such as AH-64 Apache and many other high-end US military platforms.
According to the US military, the test took place at Fort Rucker military base to assess the operational capabilities of flight control software when drones launch missiles from a fuselage launcher.
The test results were evaluated as successful, showing that this model can expand the ability to use degraded precision weapons of battalions or smaller combat units.
Mr. Clark Dutterer - Vice President of Business Development of Survival Engineering, said that integrating APKWS on TRV 150 drones helps frontline units access precision attack capabilities that were previously mainly for more expensive and complex platforms.
TRV 150 is currently used in the US Army and US Marine Corps for logistics transportation.
This drone is capable of carrying a load of about 68kg and is described as an "air pickup truck" thanks to its flexible cargo handling capability on the battlefield.
This system is designed with a simple control interface, allowing soldiers to just enter the target coordinates for the drone to calculate its flight path, approach capability and perform tasks.
The project is the result of cooperation between many units of the US military and this is seen as part of efforts to promote flexible, low-cost military technologies but capable of rapid deployment on the future battlefield.
