Business & Money | Sunday 4 March, 2018 7:31 am |

Two highly sophisticated drones were among a selection of military defense research projects showcased at the Armed Forces Exhibition for Diversity of Requirements and Capabilities (AFED 2018).

Two Skyguard drones, “Haris Al-Ajwaa” and “Al-Nawras,” were revealed by the Prince Sultan Center for Defense Studies and Researchers to reflect the Kingdom’s advancement in the military industries sector and in complementary industries.

The Skyguard drone was designed to be used in the strategic operations of ground, air, and naval forces due to its high accuracy in detecting, tracking, and destroying targets and its great ability to support and correct artillery shooting.

The drone can also handle e-war support tasks, automatically take off and land, and fly for 10 continuous hours at a range of 200 kilometers and an altitude of 18,000 feet.

Moreover, the drone was equipped with high-resolution cameras and can also be equipped with an electronic warfare system and a system for communications or for jamming or blocking the enemy’s radars and communications.

The Skyguard weighs 250 kilograms and can carry two laser-guided bombs, each of which weighs 12 kg with explosive bombs that weigh up to 7 kg. It is similar to precision-guided munition that can be guided by laser using a land or an airborne guidance system installed to the drone itself or another drone.

Al-Nawras is a strategic, lightweight unmanned aerial vehicle system that can be carried and launched from different locations. It performs several tasks, including surveillance, monitoring, and tracking targets, as well as supporting and correcting shootings.

It is four meters long, weighs 38 kg, flies for five hours at an altitude of 4,000 meters, and, owing to its small size, can be launched from ships using a launcher.

Also on show were radars updated by Saudi experts at the center. These are passive covert radar, naval radar, the electronic surveillance radar “Manar,” noise radar, the Rasid (monitor) radar, the mortar guidance system, and the mine detection radar, which is still being developed.