France has begun its first-ever delivery of loitering munitions to Ukraine, marking a significant milestone in Franco-Ukrainian military cooperation. The OSKAR (Opportunity Strike Kinetics Aircraft Ruggedised) drones, developed by Delair and KNDS France, were reportedly rapidly transformed from demonstration models to combat-ready systems in just six months.
Lightning-Fast Development to Deployment
The project, dubbed “Colibri” (Hummingbird), will provide Ukraine with 100 OSKAR loitering munitions. What’s remarkable is the speed of development – these aren’t your typical drones. “We had six months to transform [our] demonstrator into an operational product… operational with constraints of the ammunition,” says Bastien Mancini, Delair’s CEO.
OSKAR’s Combat Capabilities
The OSKAR isn’t playing around:
- 45-minute flight endurance
- 2.3 kg (5 lb) warhead
- 25 km (15.5 mile) communication range
- Targets: fixed positions, light vehicles, and personnel
- Back-packable design for easy transport
Anti-Jamming Features
In response to Russia‘s electronic warfare (EW) capabilities, OSKAR comes equipped with satellite navigation denied capabilities and full encryption. Mancini emphasizes the evolving nature of the threat:
“Things evolve very quickly on the battlefield… because a platform works today doesn’t mean that it will work in three months.”
Future Possibilities: Swarming Technology
Following Delair’s recent acquisition of Squadrone System, there’s potential for testing multiple OSKARs in swarm configurations. The company’s already involved in TAMOS (Tactical Multi-Objectives Swarming UAVs), a two-year R&D program exploring multi-drone control interfaces.
DroneXL’s Take
The development of OSKAR represents a significant advancement in drone technology, particularly in the loitering munition category. We’re seeing a trend toward rapid development and deployment of sophisticated drone systems that can operate in contested environments. This follows the pattern we’ve observed in recent coverage of counter-EW capabilities in modern drones, showing how manufacturers are adapting to real-world combat challenges.
What do you think about France’s entry into the loitering munition supply chain? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
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