Israel’s Aeronautics Group has unveiled a new variant of its renowned Orbiter 2 unmanned aerial system (UAS) that combines surveillance and precision strike capabilities.
The Orbiter 2 LM one-way attack platform is designed to neutralize targets with nearby intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) drones.
The combination also allows operators to conduct thorough post-strike damage assessments.
According to the Aeronautics Group, the LM variant is a new generation of its existing Orbiter 2 drone, offering pinpoint precision attack capability with minimum collateral damage.
It features anti-jamming capabilities, encrypted communications, and artificial intelligence (AI) to assist in target recognition.
“It combines the lethality of [a] loitering munition with the ISR capabilities of [a] UAS. It can stay in the sky for two hours [and has a] low detection probability due to low acoustic, optic, and radar signature,” company official Eyal Assenhaym told Breaking Defense.
‘Closing Sensor-to-Shooter Cycle’
The Orbiter 2 LM can reportedly take out soft and time-sensitive targets, such as antennas, communication centers, and command posts.
Assenhaym stated that since it belongs to the same family as the Orbiter ISR drones, deploying them to work together would not require a much larger logistical footprint.
He further explained that the ISR and LM platforms have the same communication, ground control, and human-machine interface.
“This is the shortest and most efficient way to close the sensor-to-shooter circle and also gives you bomb damage assessment because the ISR [drone] is following [the LM drone]. You can follow up with another attack,” he said.
Assenhaym revealed that multiple customers have already expressed interest in the Orbiter 2 LM, but he could not disclose them.