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Hybrid Drones in recent days signed an agreement with Ukraine for battlefield casualty evacuation drones.
FARNBOROUGH—Ukraine is set to receive a quadcopter drone with a 400-kg (882-lb.) payload for battlefield casualty evacuation.
Hybrid Drones recently signed an agreement for the capability, with production scheduled to begin in October, said Shane Rutherford, MBDA's head of UK and export uncrewed systems. MBDA acquired a stake in the drone manufacturer last year.
The aircraft can be configured for different casualty evacuation missions depending on a patient's injuries. It is designed to provide critical life-support functions while protecting wounded personnel from cold temperatures during flight. Rutherford said the system is intended to extract casualties from the “kill zone” between Ukrainian and Russian front lines, where movement is extremely difficult, and bridge the gap until uncrewed ground vehicles become available for battlefield evacuations.
The drone has a range of about 35 km (22 mi.), allowing it to fly to a casualty, land, recover the patient and return.
MBDA is also evaluating armed versions of the hybrid Jet-Electric Hydra 400 uncrewed air vehicle (UAV). One option under development would enable the drone to carry and fire two Brimstone air-to-ground missiles. The company is working with the British Army to demonstrate the Hydra 400 equipped with Air-Launched Effects (ALE). The modular system can carry either a small warhead or other payloads, including jammers.
Rutherford said MBDA plans to demonstrate the system during the Steadfast Defender exercise next year.
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