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Lockheed Martin’s Stalker VXE30 drone is currently undergoing tests by the British Armed Forces in hopes of being operational for reconnaissance missions by the end of the year.
The introduction of the Stalker VXE30 is part of a larger project the UK is working on in collaboration with Lockheed Martin, called “Project TIQUILA”. Project TIQUILA, which is intended to span 10 years, should expand the UK’s arsenal of advanced small Uncrewed Air Systems (sUAS), and provide an opportunity for continuous advancement over its lifespan. As part of this agreement, the Indago 4 drone is also being examined by the UK MOD.
The drones are expected to provide high-class ISTAR capabilities (Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition, and Reconnaissance) in various environments and conditions. Just recently, the tests the Stalker VXE30 underwent proved its resilience to challenging weather conditions.
The Stalker, which has a fixed-wing system, and the Indago 4, which has a rotary wing, were purchased by the UK MOD in December 2022 for £129 million in order to replace the Desert Hawk 3 mini drones, previously used by UK forces, according to Interesting Engineering. Through Project TIQUILA, 250 mini drones will be acquired.
In terms of specs, the Stalker weighs 20 kilograms, has a 4.88-meter wingspan, and a low acoustic signature. It launches vertically and is capable of executing imagery-collecting operations for up to eight hours over a 60-kilometer range. The Indago 4, which is significantly smaller in size, weighs a mere 4 kilograms and can be folded, making it possible to carry it upon the soldier’s back. It has a range of 12 kilometers and can be deployed in under three minutes. Featuring a high-resolution camera system with excellent zoom capability, it can help identify objects from far away in any lighting situation.
