At the World Defence Show in Saudi Arabia last week, MARSS revealed that the Interceptor MR drone, which will apparently imminently enter series production, could be delivered to customers before year end, according to social media reports.
The drone-killer has undergone considerable change since it was last seen in public, including the fitting of foldable-blade propellers to facilitate vertical take-off and increase maximum speed to some 80 km/h. That speed increase is crucial for success of the drone’s kinetic attacks, particularly against Class I targets. Further improvements include the use of titanium in critical impact areas for enhanced durability and the provision of more powerful motors.
In interviews during the show, CEO Johannes Pinl revealed that there is potential for 3D printing of components – an innovation brought about by observation of the unfolding drone war in Ukraine. This could ease and accelerate production – which will take place in both the UK and Saudi Arabia – but might reduce airframe stiffness and therefore survivability in multi-mission scenarios.
Featuring the NiDAR CORE/NiDAR C2 control system and a high-performance computing unit (which has necessitated the inclusion of an air intake to facilitate cooling), the Interceptor MR achieves a range of 5,000m and an operating altitude of up to 2,000m, according to the company. A smaller variant, dubbed Interceptor LR, is apparently intended for short-range protection of manoeuvre force assets such as armoured vehicles. Moving from prototype to series production for both devices may present challenges, but MARSS has in the past shown its ability to quickly and effectively overcome such obstacles.
For more information: https://marss.com
(Image: The Interceptor MR destroys hostile drones by kinetic attack. Credit: MARSS Group)
