Lithuanian firm Granta Autonomy has rolled out “X-WING,” an artificial intelligence (AI)-powered, fixed-wing loitering munition with vertical takeoff and landing capabilities.
The modular 12-kilogram (26-pound) drone uses AI to autonomously navigate towards its targets in Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS)-denied conditions and track heavily camouflaged targets.
It carries a 4-kilogram (8.8-pound) warhead that can penetrate heavily armored vehicles and produce significant fragmentation, making it effective against less-protected targets such as radars and air defense systems at ranges of up to 50 kilometers (31 miles).
Moreover, the X-WING comes with Granta’s microgimbal and features a daytime camera and thermal imager, enabling it to detect and capture objects in both daylight and low-visibility conditions.
From Ukrainian Frontlines
The company’s CEO and Co-Founder, Gediminas Guoba, said that the X-WING is “a direct result of our battlefield-proven philosophy,” based on experience from supplying first-person view and reconnaissance drones to Ukrainian frontlines.
He described the drone as being designed for tactical flexibility and large-scale production involving thousands of units per month.
The loitering munition’s Datalink solution is compatible with most ground station software.
Additionally, it is designed to work with Granta’s Hornet XR fixed-wing reconnaissance drone, which has a three-hour endurance and a range of 100 miles (161 kilometers).
The Hornet XR is already in use by Ukrainian forces against the Russian military, and is said to be “the only drone able to operate in regions of intense jamming,” Forbes quoted Guoba as saying earlier this year.
