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SMART

ATTACK

France and the UK are radio emissions, now being fitted with warheads
to neutralize targets.
proceeding with the development

of next-generation smart weapons Swift Progress
Following the May 2022 call for tenders for
By ATUL CHANDRA the Colibri and Larinae projects by the French
“Innovation Defense Lab” (AID) and the French
he ongoing conflict between Ukraine and Russia has Defence Procurement Agency (DGA), on 23
emerged as a proving ground for the latest weapons March 2023 AID announced that two con-
systems from the world’s major arms suppliers. The sortia have been selected for the Colibri
protracted conflict has also brought into sharp focus programme. One of the successful candidates
T the capabilities of Russian weapons with China keenly is the MBDA/ Novadem consortium that has
observing the performance of equipment used on both sides of the developed a user-oriented, minimum viable
conflict. Keen to retain their technological edge, European nations product approach for the Colibri project using
and the USA are proceeding with development of next-generation the Sphynx concept. MBDA and Novadem and
smart weapons. France and the UK are now moving with the devel- their Sphynx concept were selected from among
opment of such weapons. 19 candidates by AID. The Sphynx concept is
designed as a weapon system with integrated
The French General Directorate of Armaments (DGA) and French rotary-wing drone technologies, rather than as
“Innovation Defence Lab” (AID) is taking a new approach to future simply a drone plus a warhead.
smart weapons in the field of contact drones and tactical drones.
The LARINAE weapons programme aims to deliver a low-cost muni- Both companies have been cooperating for
tion (drone equipped with an anti-tank warhead) with long range quite some time on the use of the AKERON MP
in excess of 50 km, while the COLIBRI weapons development effort weapon system, for which Novadem supplies
is aimed at realising a low-cost system engaging targets at ranges the NX70 drone, and on the EDIDP BLOS (Beyond
of approximately 5 km. The development of these new weapon Line of Sight) project. The Sphynx concept with
systems points to the emergence of drones, which were initially its permanent man-in-the-loop, is particularly
equipped with payloads dedicated to intelligence or detection of useful in terms of manoeuvrability and infantry
ASIAN DEFENCE TECHNOLOGY JUNE-JULY 2023 | 5