The Fire Shadow weapon system, a loitering munition, has successfully completed its first test flight, proving the capability of the system not only to fly but to loiter over a surveillance area before delivering a war head onto a target.
As part of Team LM, led by MBDA, Marshall Specialist Vehicles (MSV) has been responsible for the rapid prototyping and construction of the Airframe and manufacturing and fitting out the ground control station.“This is a great achievement for Team LM and for us,” said Peter Callaghan, Chief Executive of Marshall SV, “This contract has yet again confirmed our ability to rapidly meet the urgent operational requirements of our government customers. We delivered the first prototype in only 12 days and the fully tested Airframe used on this test flight only a couple of months later together with the complete ground control consoles.” During the prototyping phase MSV utilised its extensive design and manufacturing capabilities to record the prototype details for future manufacture. The company also used its experience in designing complex consoles for defence forces around the globe.
Fire Shadow, which meets the UK’s requirement for Indirect Fire Precision Attack (IFPA), is an air vehicle that loiters over the battlefield for around 10 hours then rapidly strikes a suitable target when it appears, whilst still conforming to the rules of engagement. It also features ‘man in the loop’, which ensures the weapon remains under the control of an operator who can divert the weapon at the last minute if, for example, a non combatant appears near the intended target. |
