The UAV model promises to change the military nature of the US military

Unmanned FMR aircraft promises to create revolution in production and change the nature of future air combat.

The US Department of Defense is developing a model of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) codenamed "Aerial Missile Racks" (FMR) , which promises to be a factor that changes future long-range air strikes, according to Popular Merchanic.

Sample drawing of FMR project.(Photo: US Air Force).

In early September 2017, the Agency for Advanced Defense Research (DARPA) proposed to develop FMR with an estimated budget of about 375,000 USD in 2018. FMR is the solution to reduce costs and complexity. trash during the modernization of the air force. Instead of investing a lot of resources to produce new fighters, the US military can equip this type of UAV for the old fighter to increase combat capability.

FMR can increase the range for long-range air-to-air missiles AIM-120 AMRAAM . The latest AIM-120D version of the US can lower its target at 160-180km, while China has tested air-to-air missiles with a range of up to 320km. Equipping FMR can help fight the US to regain its air combat superiority to Russian and Chinese aircraft.

Lieutenant Colonel Jimmy Jones, program director at the US Air Force Strategy Technology Department, said FMR will be integrated into the arms rack of F-16 and F-18 fighters. This new UAV model reaches a maximum speed of 1,110km / h and operates continuously for about 20 minutes. FMR is fitted with one or two AIM-120D missiles, which can launch projectiles while on mother or independent fighter.

In a one-on-one combat situation, the FMR helps American pilots have more options to attack. If the enemy aircraft has a more modern missile, the US fighter will launch the FMR so that the UAV can fight on its own, while the mother plane keeps a safe distance. If you encounter a weaker opponent, American fighters can launch AIM-120 missiles, saving FMR for more dangerous combat situations.

FMR helps to increase the effective range for American fighter.(Photo: US Air Force).

For the project to succeed, the FMR must be compatible with the arms rack of F-16 and F / A-18 fighters . It also needs space for communication equipment, connecting to the mother plane. Technology from FMR is expected to be applied to Loyal Wingman program, in order to convert manned fighter like F-16 into UAV semi-automatic armed.

The US military intends to build the first FMR prototype and start testing it in the next two years. FMR will mark the revolution in developing unmanned aerial drones, promising to be the future of air combat, military expert Kyle Mizokami said.