BRITAIN’S new AI-drone gunships will fly alongside Apache helicopters in future battles.
Apache pilots will command up to six drones, known as mules, carrying missiles, sensors and jamming kit.
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The mules will also be programmed to fight autonomously and control swarms of smaller drones on the ground.
This triple-layer system will give the Army far greater firepower and aims to protect our fleet of Apache AH-64Es, Challenger 3 tanks plus soldiers on the ground.
More integration of crewed and uncrewed aircraft had been hinted at in the Strategic Defence Review announced earlier this month.
Defence Secretary John Healey told this week’s RUSI land warfare conference in London: “From this year, we will be investing more than £100million in new, initial funding to develop land drone swarms.”
“Our Autonomous Collaborative Platforms (the mules) will fly alongside the Apache attack helicopters and enhance the Army’s ability to strike, survive and win on the battlefield.
“This will be a game-changer. It will be applying the lessons from Ukraine in a world- leading way. It will be putting the UK at the leading edge of innovation in Nato.”
Chief of the General Staff Sir Roly Walker said 80 per cent of the Army’s weapons in future wars would be drones — as it could take months to build Apaches and tanks and years to train their crews.
He said drones were vital as the Ukraine war had “shown how a £20million tank and four experienced crew can be lost to a £1,000 drone operated by a kid with a few days’ training”.
He added of the mule drones: “You don’t want to lose them but, if you do, it’s not a tragedy because, although sophisticated, they are uncrewed.”
