What happened in the Ukrainian war, and continues in the conflict between Hamas vs Israel, has boosted the prestige of quadcopter drones, because quadcopter drones that cost only thousands of dollars are capable of destroying Main Battle Tanks (MBTs) whose price per unit reaches tens of millions of dollars.
This is done thanks to the release of projectiles or explosives in the most vulnerable parts of the MBT. Well, apparently the model involving armed quadcopter drones can also be used to destroy submarines, the price per unit of which can reach billions of dollars. How come?
In the NATO military exercise REPMUS 2023 (Robotic Experimentation and Prototyping with Marine Unmanned Systems) in Portugal (11-15 September 2023), Malloy Aeronautics and BAE Systems from England deployed the T-600 quadcopter drone, where the T600 carries a payload in the form of a lightweight torpedo. torpedo (LWT) Sting Ray Mod 2. Simulated, the future Malloy T600 has the potential to become part of an anti-submarine weapons system.
From the specifications, the T600 is a cargo drone that can carry a payload of 200 kg. This quadcopter drone has a maximum speed of 140 km per hour and a range of 80 km. In terms of performance, the T600 is clearly far below the capabilities of the Wildcat or Merlin helicopters which are the mainstay of the British Navy in carrying out anti-submarine (AKS) missions.
Quoted from navylookout.com, the deployment of quadcopter drones such as the T600 is considered ideal for short-range AKS combat operations, especially in response to submarine detection by ship sonar. The Malloy T600 has a battery that can be quickly replaced with a new one for quick reuse if needed.
For the record, what was used in the REPMUS 2023 exercise was the Sting Ray 2 inert torpedo for training purposes. Even though it is inert, an inert torpedo has the same weight and dimensions as a real torpedo, so it is possible that the Sting Ray Mod 2 weighs less than the Sting Ray Mod 1 (weighs 267 kg).
After testing with the Malloy T600, it is possible that the T650 quadcopter drone will be used which has a larger payload (300 kg). Previously, Malloy Aeronautics and BAE Systems at the Defense Vehicle Dynamic exhibition, showed for the first time the T650 drone with Brimstone missiles.
The Malloy T650 is a drone helicopter with eight electric engines and eight propellers, introduced about a year ago. This drone has a fairly large payload capacity and has attracted military interest.
The Malloy T650 is originally a cargo drone that can lift loads up to 300 kg. For information, the total weight of three Brimstone missiles is around 150 kg. With battery power, the T650 drone can reach speeds of 140 km per hour and has a range of 30 km. It is possible that these parameters can be changed for modifications for launching missiles, and fore releasing torpedoes.
About the Sting Ray torpedo, it is a light torpedo with a caliber of 324 mm. This torpedo is 2.6 meters long and 330 mm in diameter.
Adopting an active and passive sonar guidance system, the Sting Ray can pursue targets as far as 11 km. Powered by electrical pump-jet magnesium/silver-chloride batteries, the Sting Ray torpedo has a speed of 83 km per hour. This British-made torpedo was first used by the British Navy in 1983.
