Unmanned aircraft killer proposed.

• Author: Williams, Robert H.
• Position: Tech Talk - Brief Article

It is inevitable: develop a stronger shield and someone will invent a sharper sword. Two British firms--QinetiQ and Sula Systems--are proposing the fielding of a relatively low cost device to counter the proliferation of unmanned aerial vehicles in the battlefield.

The tiny ground based air defense system is called Cougar, an attack UAV concept that relies on a miniature turbojet to propel the monoplane airframe and an uncooled long-wave seeker to guide the weapon to a midair collision with its intended target. No explosive charge is needed, said a company spokesman.

A mid-course correction ensures that Cougar always attacks...