AeroVironment Completes Multi-Drop Shryke Munitions Test

AeroVironment completed a multi-drop, live fire exercise using guided Shryke munitions, proving the fighting capability of their VAPOR 55 MX UAV.

The little drone fired off a handful of 4 missiles, each one delivering a 40mm anti-armor warhead. The Shryke pseudo-missiles offer a low signature, lightweight munition to mission planners, using glide performance to maneuver themselves to the target sans the heat and racket a traditional missile motor would create. That makes the entire ensemble a "highly effective, low-collateral damage solution to the front lines" according to Shryke's manufacturer, Corvid. The tester has been integrated into larger drones in recent weeks, like Insitu's much larger Class 1 UAS.

The ability to mount 4 entire warheads to a tiny, lightweight drone like the Vapor 55 is a fearsome little weapon system - hard to shoot down, hard to spot, quick, maneuverable, and capable of taking down light armor. Accuracy sits at anywhere from 1 to 2 meters within the designated target zone, with milspec safety/arming tech to ensure a safety-critical initiation-on-command order is always respected. If the munition fails to fire, post-flight recovery is simple and safe (should everything work as ordered, at least).

“Collaborating with our partners to develop the multi-drop Shryke payload to integrate seamlessly with the Modular Open Systems Approach (MOSA) design of the VAPOR 55 MX gives us a real market advantage. Quick integration for the warfighter continues to be our top priority,” said Jason Wright, AeroVironment’s senior product line manager.

FMI: www.avinc.com