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Unmanned Aerial Vehicles.

Milkor 380.

The Milkor 380 UAV is an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) developed by Milkor (Pty) Ltd, a South African defense manufacturer. This medium-altitude, long-endurance (MALE) UAV is designed for multi-role applications, including surveillance, reconnaissance, and light precision strike capabilities. The Milkor 380 has been developed to meet the demands of both military and security forces, offering a versatile, cost-effective solution capable of extended operations across diverse environments. With advanced sensors, long endurance, and high payload capacity, it stands out as a reliable platform for tactical and strategic missions.

Country users: South Africa (initial market focus), potential export customers in Africa, Middle East, and Asia.

Description

The Milkor 380 is a tactical medium-altitude UAV developed by Milkor (Pty) Ltd to address the growing demand for advanced unmanned systems in the defense sector. Designed in South Africa, it embodies the country’s expertise in military technology, with a focus on providing extended endurance, advanced surveillance capabilities, and adaptability to different mission profiles. Development began in the early 2010s, with the goal of creating a UAV that could operate effectively in both tactical and strategic roles. The UAV first flew in 2017, demonstrating exceptional performance in endurance, stability, and sensor integration during early testing phases. Since then, its design has been further refined, culminating in successful flight tests in 2022, where advanced payloads, flight controls, and mission versatility were validated.

The Milkor 380’s mission scope includes a variety of roles, such as intelligence gathering, persistent surveillance, border patrol, and search and rescue. Its ability to carry precision-guided munitions also allows it to perform light strike operations, making it a versatile solution for both reconnaissance and combat missions. With a focus on long-range endurance and high payload flexibility, the UAV is optimized for extended operations, including anti-piracy, counter-smuggling, and battlefield intelligence in remote or challenging environments.

Milkor 380 UAV variants:

- Milkor 380 for naval use: This variant is optimized for maritime surveillance and naval operations. Developed in collaboration with Aerodata AG, the AeroForce 380 integrates advanced maritime surveillance sensors, including Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) and Inverse Synthetic Aperture Radar (ISAR), making it suitable for missions such as Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) surveillance, pollution monitoring, fishery patrols, search and rescue operations, counter-narcotics missions, anti-piracy activities, and border patrols.

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Technical Data

  • Design

    The Milkor 380 UAV features a sleek, aerodynamic airframe optimized for endurance and efficiency. The airframe is constructed primarily from lightweight composite materials to reduce weight while maintaining durability and structural integrity. It has a length of 9 meters and a wingspan of 18 meters, providing excellent stability and allowing for efficient long-duration flights. The UAV's low-wing design, combined with its tail-mounted vertical stabilizer, ensures reliable handling and effective aerodynamic performance.

    The engine is positioned at the rear of the airframe in a pusher propeller configuration, which minimizes noise and reduces the UAV's radar cross-section. This configuration also protects the engine from debris during takeoff and landing. With its fixed landing gear, the UAV can operate from semi-prepared runways, making it adaptable to a wide range of deployment environments.

  • Payload

    The Milkor 380 is capable of carrying payloads up to 220 kg, making it highly versatile for various mission profiles. Its primary payloads include electro-optical (EO) and infrared (IR) cameras, allowing it to provide high-resolution imagery for day and night operations. The UAV can also be equipped with Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR), enabling all-weather surveillance and terrain mapping capabilities.

    Additionally, it can carry communications relay equipment, extending connectivity for ground forces in remote areas. Its modular design allows payloads to be rapidly swapped to meet specific mission requirements, ranging from intelligence gathering to combat support. These payloads make the Milkor 380 an adaptable platform for both ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance) and tactical roles.

  • Armament

    While primarily designed for ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance) missions, the Milkor 380 can carry light munitions for strike operations. It is capable of deploying precision-guided munitions (PGMs), including small guided bombs and rockets, with a combined capacity of up to 220 kg of armament. This enables it to engage targets with high precision, supporting counter-insurgency and tactical strike missions. Its onboard sensors provide precise targeting data, ensuring effective engagement of enemy assets with minimal collateral damage.

  • Propulsion

    The Milkor 380 is powered by a single-piston engine running on 110 LL Avgas or 93 UL Mogas fuel. Its engine drives a rear-mounted pusher propeller, which ensures low fuel consumption and efficient performance during extended missions. The fuel capacity of 315 kg provides the UAV with a remarkable maximum endurance of 30 hours, enabling it to operate effectively over vast distances.

    The Milkor 380 has a maximum range of over 4,000 km, making it ideal for long-range surveillance and patrol missions. It can cruise at altitudes of up to 10,000 feet and achieve a maximum operational altitude of 30,000 feet, allowing it to perform missions in varied operational theaters. The UAV can reach a maximum speed of 250 km/h, with a cruise speed range of 110-150 km/h, ensuring a balance between endurance and responsiveness during missions.

  • Combat Use

    The Milkor 380 is a multi-role platform designed to meet a wide range of combat and non-combat operational requirements. In its primary role as an ISR platform, it provides high-quality, real-time intelligence for military commanders, enabling them to make informed decisions on the battlefield. Its surveillance capabilities are critical for border control, counter-smuggling, and anti-piracy missions, where long-endurance and real-time data transfer are essential.

    In combat roles, the Milkor 380 can provide precision targeting and engage high-value assets with guided munitions, making it an effective tool for counter-insurgency and tactical strike operations. It can also act as a force multiplier, assisting ground forces with target acquisition and communications relay. Beyond military applications, the UAV’s endurance and advanced sensors make it an invaluable asset for search and rescue missions, enabling it to cover vast areas and relay critical information to rescue teams.

    Overall, the Milkor 380 combines endurance, flexibility, and advanced technology to perform in a wide variety of operational scenarios, delivering exceptional value to both military and security forces.

  • Command and Control

    The Milkor 380 UAV is equipped with an advanced command and control (C2) system designed to provide seamless operation and real-time mission management over long distances. At its core is a modular Ground Control Station (GCS), which supports both fixed and mobile configurations, enabling operators to control the UAV and its payloads remotely. The system utilizes a secure, encrypted communication link for line-of-sight (LOS) operations up to 250 km and beyond-line-of-sight (BLOS) missions exceeding 4,000 km through satellite communication (SATCOM). Autonomous and semi-autonomous flight capabilities allow for preprogrammed mission execution or real-time operator adjustments, ensuring flexibility in dynamic scenarios. Real-time data transmission, including high-definition video and sensor feeds, enables immediate situational awareness and decision-making. To ensure operational reliability, the C2 system incorporates fail-safe features such as auto-return in case of signal loss and redundant systems for critical components, making the Milkor 380 a robust and dependable platform for surveillance, reconnaissance, and strike missions.

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Specifications

  • Type

    Medium-Altitude Long-Endurance (MALE) Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV)

  • Country users

    South Africa (initial market focus), potential export customers in Africa, Middle East, and Asia.

  • Designer Country

    South Africa (Milkor (Pty) Ltd)

  • Armament

    Precision-guided munitions (PGMs), including:
    - Small guided bombs (5-20 kg class)
    - Precision-guided rockets
    - Maximum armament payload: 220 kg

  • Payload

    Maximum payload weight: 220 kg
    Types of payload:
    - Electro-optical (EO) and infrared (IR) cameras
    - Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR)
    - Communications relay equipment
    - Electronic Warfare (EW) systems

  • Altitude

    - Maximum altitude: 9,144 meters (30,000 feet)
    - Cruise altitude: 3,048 meters (10,000 feet)

  • Range

    Maximum range: 4,000+ km

  • Weight

    Maximum Takeoff Weight (MTOW): 1,500 kg

  • Speed

    - Maximum speed: 250 km/h
    - Cruise speed: 110-150 km/h

  • Dimensions

    Length: 9.0 m; Height: ? m; Wingspan: 18.0 m

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