Israeli defense electronics company Elbit Systems said on Monday that it was awarded a $95 million contract to supply SkyStriker loitering munitions (LM), better known as kamikaze drones” to a European country.
The details were given in an 18 September media release, to say the contract will be carried out over a period of two years.
As part of the contract Elbit Systems will provide several hundred SkyStriker units.
Elbit Systems’ SkyStriker LM is a fully autonomous loitering munition that can locate, acquire and engage operator designated targets with a warhead of up to 10 Kg, enabling high-precision performance. SkyStriker can be launched from a variety of ground and aerial platforms, including from a dedicated canister on Elbit Systems’ PULS (Precise and Universal Launching System) rocket artillery systems.
Equipped with an electrical engine, the SkyStriker enables covert operations of up to 2 hours and with a range of 100km. The system can precisely strike targets while maintaining a “man in the loop” even in GPS and communication denied environments.
The Skystriker can use a number of warhead types and thanks to its modular design, it can be interchanged in the field during pre-flight according to the operational requirement.
Yoram Shmuely, General Manager of Elbit Systems Aerospace: “We are pleased to deliver an innovative and effective solution to our customers that combines Elbit Systems air and ground solutions. As a covert and agile platform, the SkyStriker loitering munition delivers high performance precision and reliability, providing a mission critical advantage to warfighters on the modern battlefield.”