See the ‘Fire Shadow’ Missile That Can Loiter Up to Six Hours Midair Before Attacking
- Posted on July 23, 2012 at 1:40pm by
Liz Klimas
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Fire Shadow ready to take off (Image: Engadget screenshot)
When launched, most missiles head directly for their targets. New technology developed by a French manufacturer though could have the weapon hanging out midair for up to six hours before ever being directed toward a stationary or moving target.
The “Fire Shadow” is a form of loitering munition weapon system by MBDA Missile Systems that has a 60 mile range with minimal collateral damage, according to CDL Systems. Here’s more from CDL Systems on the technology within the weapon:
Our software, VCS-4586, provides the command, control, and monitoring capabilities for Fire Shadow. Operators control the weapon with VCS-4586 which provides real-time situational awareness making the system particularly effective in complex scenarios.
Watch the concept design for the missile:
Gizmodo reports the Fire Shadow first began testing in Nov. 2010 with its first ones being sent through production in March 2012. It notes the U.K.’s 39th Regiment Royal Artillery being the first recipients. Flight Global reports that the missile would have been used by the British army in Afghanistan, but it decided to delay its use there for now. It notes that the military will be conducting its own tests of the missile later this year.
Fire Shadow coming down upon a target during a demonstration. (Image: Engadget)
Watch the actual weapon in action during this demo:
(H/T: Engadget)
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Slowman101
Posted on July 24, 2012 at 1:28amTypical of the French. It can loiter for 6 hours and then refuse to fight!
Report Post »hayesstephen
Posted on July 23, 2012 at 4:43pmThis is a very good weapon to use against third world countries. But first rate army’s will have hardly any problem with them .Anything that lingers around a battle field for six hours is going to get swatted! Very limited weapon.
Report Post »FreedomOne
Posted on July 23, 2012 at 3:58pmWonder if the computer chips are made in china like on all of our airliners in america that anyone can hack into!!!
Report Post »ronin_6
Posted on July 23, 2012 at 3:27pmOld tech with new software.
Report Post »Still impressive.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MGM-13_Mace
N37BU6
Posted on July 23, 2012 at 3:24pmFixed your headline for you:
“See the ‘Fire Shadow’ Missile That Can Loiter Up to Six Hours Midair Before Retreating”
Report Post »Rothbardian_in_the_Cleve
Posted on July 23, 2012 at 3:33pmBazinga!!!!
Report Post »JustJP
Posted on July 23, 2012 at 10:54pmLol!
Report Post »spfoam1
Posted on July 23, 2012 at 3:23pmDesigned to loiter aimlessly for hours…….that sure sounds French.
Report Post »mlimberg
Posted on July 23, 2012 at 4:39pmThen they go home anyway…
Report Post »myway
Posted on July 23, 2012 at 5:14pmThe also invented the rear view mirror so they could watch the war when retreating.
Report Post »NewLife56
Posted on July 23, 2012 at 3:00pmWow
Report Post »MittensKittens
Posted on July 23, 2012 at 3:06pmWOW!.
Our software, VCS-4586, provides the command, control, and monitoring capabilities for Fire Shadow. Operators control the weapon with VCS-4586 which provides real-time situational awareness making the system particularly effective in complex scenarios.
Until someone figures out how to hijack the GPS!
Report Post »FreeUsAll
Posted on July 23, 2012 at 2:54pmThese will be used against us. We’ve already seen it before.
Report Post »Witness1974
Posted on July 23, 2012 at 2:48pmNow the French can deliver a white flag with staggering precision.
Report Post »jungle J
Posted on July 23, 2012 at 3:27pmlol
Report Post »Lotus503
Posted on July 23, 2012 at 2:44pmReally cool green flame coming out of that RATO bottle…
Report Post »banjarmon
Posted on July 23, 2012 at 2:32pmNew technology developed by a French manufacturer…..WOW Wonders never cease!!
Report Post »Rothbardian_in_the_Cleve
Posted on July 23, 2012 at 2:23pmGreat, the White House can get these and it will be easier to assassinate American citizens without due process. Sweet.
Report Post »FreeUsAll
Posted on July 23, 2012 at 2:52pmMy sentiments exactly.
Report Post »Lothmar
Posted on July 23, 2012 at 3:28pmWhat did you think those 6 hours were for?
Report Post »historyguy48
Posted on July 23, 2012 at 3:42pmThe six hours are so Dear Leader can concoct a “I had nothing to do with it speech”.
Report Post »thegreatcarnac
Posted on July 23, 2012 at 2:15pmThe French military does get it right now and then. They have potential but have never had good leadership since Napoleon. They fought well during WWI and held on with great loss of life. Their leadership problems rose again in WWII. Their leadership built a static ‘maginot line’ on the border with Germany, did not defend the Ardennes forest border region, and were over confident. ‘Blitzkrieg’ caught them by surprise and the rest is history.
Report Post »Delores at CH WV
Posted on July 23, 2012 at 2:14pmAnd, we thought the cold war gagets were going to end the world! Drones flying over your house, missles waiting to attack, smart missles and dirty bombs . . . the President going through a list of people to kill every week with drones. Surely, the leaders in the world should meet about these gagets and stop meeting about bankrupt treasuries. Sick, Sad, Societies.
Report Post »1TrueOne55
Posted on July 23, 2012 at 3:27pmSky Net Arms itself for resistance from Human virus.
Report Post »jamesctheman
Posted on July 23, 2012 at 3:59pmDelores. The leaders on many of the countries who you would like us to sit around & talk about want to kill all of us & our families. Do you think the Arab world would rejoice at America being destroyed? If happened when they saw the WTC buildings go down. You go kill all the evil people for us & then we’ll get rid of all these types of weapons. Sound good? I would love nothing more then to have a society that is peaceful & loving. Explain that to the murderers who would like nothing more than your demise.
Report Post »RANGER1965
Posted on July 23, 2012 at 2:13pmIt’s an old Cruise Missile design that has been significantly lightened with hi-tech polymers. It has longer wings to improve glide ratio, and a fat fuel tank for the teeny weeny jet engine.
Report Post »dlivelli
Posted on July 23, 2012 at 2:09pmSounds kind of neat but I would think you would be better off making it stealth instead of giving people more time to find and destroy it…..I’m no military guy but I thought surprise was the best way to attack.
Report Post »blackyb
Posted on July 23, 2012 at 2:00pmThese are nice. Dosen’t everyone need one now-a-days?
Report Post »jamesctheman
Posted on July 23, 2012 at 1:59pmThe French got this first? Spend less time developing drones & get on the missile tech. We should have had a missile system like this years ago with our current technology. SOmething like this is far more effective than a drone. FOr one they don’t sometimes fall out of the sky Iranian soil for them to make a carbon copy of. Hats off to the French. Very impressive.
Report Post »brntout
Posted on July 23, 2012 at 1:57pmNothing more than suicide drones. French can’t design ones that carry ordnance beyond single warheads. Why is this so spectacular? We use chaff to confuse Radar and flares to confuse Infra-red, while we developed tech to defeat LADAR on such a lackadaisical scale,a simple well cast rock will suffice,rather a dumb projectile,even fired from a potato (potatoe) gun.
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