Textron Systems launches Damocles launched effect system

Wilmington, Massachusetts-based Textron Systems has announced its Damocles Launched Effect (LE) system, an Uncrewed Aerial System (UAS) designed to deliver a significant strategic advantage in peer warfare environments.

Equipped with Textron Systems’ advanced GEN2 Explosively Formed Penetrator (EFP), the Damocles LE can deliver top attack against armoured vehicles, Electronic Warfare (EW), and Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities as either a ground- or air-delivered payload, the company says. It is also designed to operate in GPS-denied environments and employs day/night Automatic Target Recognition (ATR).

“Textron Systems is the industry leader in EFP technologies, and the Damocles LE builds on our decades of experience to provide next-generation technology to the warfighter,” said Henry Finneral, Senior Vice President, Weapon Systems. “We stand ready to provide our cost-effective solution at speed and at scale to provide mission support to the joint forces and allied nations.”

The Damocles LE is equipped with autonomous tracking capabilities and advanced artificial intelligence while maintaining the human in the loop for mission supervision and decision-making, Textron Systems adds. The precision unitary munition ensures accurate targeting, making it a highly effective tool in mission-critical scenarios, the company says. The Damocles LE also features a low acoustic signature, which enhances stealth and reduces detectability during operations.

The Damocles LE is built with a modular open systems architecture (MOSA) approach, allowing other payloads to be integrated into the system to support various Concept of Operations (CONOPS), such as electronic warfare effects.

To further enhance operational safety, the system includes features to prevent Unexploded Ordnance (UXO), reducing the risk of hazardous remnants on the battlefield.