Dubai Airshow 2021: UAE orders Thunder and Desert Sting

18th November 2021 - 11:45 GMT | by Leonid Nersisyan in Dubai

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Halcon displayed Thunder munitions guidance upgrade kits at the Dubai Airshow 2021. (Photo: Leonid Nersisyan)

Munition guidance kits for the UAE Armed Forces combine inertial measurement, satellite guidance and an optional semi-active laser seeker.

EDGE company Halcon sealed a major munitions guidance kit deal with the UAE Armed Forces during the Dubai Airshow-2021.

Halcon, for example, received an AED3.2 billion ($880 million) contract to produce its Thunder and Desert Sting series of precision-guided munitions.

The Thunder family comprises upgrade kit technology for air-launched munitions of different weights and warhead sizes. A company representative explained to Shephard that the kits, which include gliding and guidance equipment, are almost identical for Mk81, Mk82 and Mk83 bombs.

These kits combine an inertial measurement unit and satellite (GNSS) measurements to engage pre-programmed target coordinates. A semi-active laser seeker can

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Author

Leonid Nersisyan

Leonid Nersisyan is a defence analyst and research fellow at APRI Armenia. He is a …

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