UAE INDUSTRY DEMONSTRATES GROWING SOPHISTICATION

Philip the Arab

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Halcon showcases anti-ship missile, loitering munitions and C-RAM solution at IDEX 2021.

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Edge subsidiary company Halcon unveiled the HAS-250 anti-ship missile during the IDEX 2021 exhibition in Abu Dhabi, along with an associated dual-missile container launcher mounted on a 6×6 truck chassis.

The missile is equipped with HS-350 turbojet engine and has a firing range of up to 250km with a cruising speed of Mach 0.8. The missile has an inertial and satellite guidance system and employs active/passive radar homing in the terminal stage of flight towards its land-based or naval target.

A Halcon representative told Shephard that the HAS-250 remains at an early stage of development. An approximate timeline for initial tests is yet to be finalised and nor have contractors been selected to develop the most sophisticated components of the missile, such as the engine and the homing head.

Nevertheless, the intention to produce such a technologically sophisticated weapon in the UAE is of great interest, even considering that Halcon will probably rely on support from Western companies and suppliers.

Equally interesting was the Shadow line of high-speed loitering munitions (pictured on display for the first time during IDEX 2021 on 21-25 February). The lighter Shadow 25 UAV carries a 25kg payload (80kg take-off weight). It is 2.84m length and 0.76m tall with a 2.36m wingspan; mission endurance is 1h with a range of up to 250km and cruising speed of 450km/h.
Shadow 50 carries a 50kg payload (take-off weight 100kg) and it has a wingspan of 4.05m, length of 3.07m and height of 58cm. The loitering munition has a flight time of 4h, a range of up to 250km and a cruising speed of 200km/h.

Shadow 25 and Shadow 50 use jet propulsion as well as onboard video navigation (image recognition negates the need for GPS guidance). According to a Halcon spokesperson, both UAVs are already undergoing flight tests.


A third noteworthy innovation is the SkyKnight anti-aircraft missile, as the first UAE-designed and manufactured counter-rocket, artillery, and mortar (C-RAM) system.
The SkyKnight C-RAM system comes with a 60-missile launcher. The missile is designed to intercept rotary-wing aircraft, UAVs, rockets, artillery, mortar, and other fixed-wing aircraft at up to 10km range.
Halcon intends to produce SkyKnight in partnership with Rheinmetall, which is actively seeking a missile system to include in its Oerlikon Skynex air defence system.
Skynex comprises a control node; multi-sensor units with active electronically scanned multi-mode radars; and the 35mm Oerlikon Revolver Gun Mk3.
 

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