Screen grab from a video released by Edge Group.
On February 22, Halcon, a subsidiary of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) defense contractor Edge Group, unveiled an advanced autonomous suicide drone swarm system based on the Hunter 2-S suicide drone.
The system was showcased on the sideline of the Unmanned Systems Exhibition and Conference (UMEX) 2022 that’s being held in the Emirati capital, Abu Dhabi.
The Hunter 2-S is part of the Hunter 2 series of drones. The drone has a maximum take-off weight of 8 kilograms, a wingspan of 1.44 meters and length of 1.25 meters.
According to a press release by Halcon, the Hunter 2-S takes advantages of advanced artificial intelligence (AI) technology. The tactical drones share information with one another to track and maintain their relative positions, and to effectively engage targets.
“We see AI playing a critical role in the advancement of the Defence sector and beyond, and EDGE and HALCON are determined to remain at the cutting-edge of these developments that are shaping our sector and the wider world, from our base in the UAE. The level of autonomy afforded by these swarming drones is a significant achievement for us, and we are committed to fast-tracking R&D investments in these domains to bring related products to market with speed in the areas of autonomous systems and smart munitions,” Halcon’s CEO Saeed Al Mansoori said.
The swarm’s targets may include enemy fighter jets on the tarmac at a military base or an incoming convoy of enemy armored vehicles.
Edge Group has been leading the efforts to develop military industries in the UAE. Abu Dhabi invested billions in the sectors in the last few years.
AI will counter itself until it becomes futile.