Fire Shadow

The Fire Shadow is the manufacturer MBDA, which is being developed for the British military a weapon system. It has the ability to remain after the start up to six hours over the target area can then be allocated to a destination, if necessary.

Description

The Fire Shadow was developed with the aim to provide the Army a comparatively cheap weapon available that can perform strokes with high precision at long distances. The start is the Fireshadow using a rocket booster, for the drive during the march flight makes a piston engine. The weapon has the ability to be started first, longer time over the target area to revolve around later assign it a target ( Loitering Weapon ). For this purpose, it has a data link that allows one hand, images of the viewfinder can be transmitted to the ground station and on the other hand, control and target data can be transmitted to the weapon. The Fire Shadow is not reusable. Has it started and assigned to a target, a self-destruction in the form of a controlled crash is initiated after consumption of the fuel supply for the drive motor.

Development

Development began in 2008. The first flight took place on 21 November 2010 in Vidsel place, followed by further flight tests on May 13, 2011. Problems with the reliability of the weapon system have prevented an operational setting.

Delivery

Originally Fireshadow should come into Afghanistan from March 2012 to use. Due to political and technical problems of this application has been postponed.