The year ahead: Military UAVs

9th January 2017 - 09:28 GMT | by Grant Turnbull in London

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Unmanned aerial vehicles are now a firmly established capability in nearly all advanced militaries. In 2017, expect to see western militaries invest more in complex UAVs while less-resourced militaries in regions such as Africa, the Middle East and Asia look to generate a basic level of ‘drone’ capability.

This will span across the different group categories of UAV, from small tactical UAS to advanced autonomous platforms at the strategic level. Missions will also vary from intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR), to much more complex strike missions with guided munitions.

With the rise of China and its military-industrial complex, expect …

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