15-05-2025
World's five most lethal killer drones; Pakistan's Turkish Songars are no match, India has...
US-made MQ-9 Reaper is the most lethal drone in the world. (File)
During the recent India-Pakistan tensions, Pakistan attacked Indian cities and military sites with an estimated 300-400 Turkish-made Songar drones, which were successfully neutralized by India's S-400 Triumf air defense. While the Asisguard Songar drones are undoubtedly a formidable aerial threat for any country, let us take a look at the world's five most lethal killer drones, which could bring entire armies to their knees. MQ-9 Reaper aka the 'Predator' drone
The US-made MQ-9 Reaper, commonly known as the Predator drone, is arguably the world's most dangerous military drone, capable of tracking and destroying enemy targets from including battle tanks, military bases, and radar installations from an altitude of over 50,000 feet.
The Predator drone can carry up to eight Hellfire missiles and around 1,700 kilos of explosives, making it a deadly offensive weapon for any country. India has finalized a deal with the US to acquire a fleet of 31 Predator drones. Mohajir-6
Second on the list is Iran's Mohajir-6 a multirole unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UAEV), which is capable of carrying out surveillance missiles, as well as fire lethal Qaem and Almas missiles at enemy targets, sometimes even simultaneously if required. The Mohajir-6 is designed for long-distance flights and precision attack, making it a lethal threat for any enemy. Bayraktar TB2
The Bayraktar TB2 drone is perhaps the most famous military drone manufactured by Turkey, and gained notoriety for essentially changing the course of the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh war, when Azerbaijan, despite having a smaller military force, used these advanced military drones and Israeli Kamikaze drones, to hand a decisive defeat to Armenia — a larger military power who had Russian T72 tanks, missiles and rockets.
Known for its deadly, precise attacks, the Bayraktar TB2 is capable of flying continuously for 27 hours and can reach a height of 25,000 feet. It can carry four laser-guided bombs or rockets and is able to track and neutralize its targets using its onboard tracking system, without the need of GPS or other external guidance systems. Switchblade kamikaze drones
The AeroVironment Switchblade is a Loitering Munition System (LMS), which is small enough to fit inside a backpack, making it highly mobile. It comes in two variants, the Switchblade 300 — which is the smaller mobile variant used mainly against human targets, and the Switchblade 600– a heavier, anti-armour variant was unveiled in 2020, used to blow up tanks, armored vehicles and bunkers.
This kamikaze, or suicide drone, used by the United States military, hovers in the air till it locates its intended target, and then dives into it, triggering the explosives it carries to destroy the target as well as itself. ZALA Lancet UAV
Developed by Russian aerospace manufacturer ZALA Aero Group for the Russian Armed Forces, the ZALA Lancet is an unmanned aerial vehicle and loitering munition system (LMS), which has caused wreaked widespread carnage on Ukrainian forces during the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war.
The ZALA Lancet weighs only 12kg and carries 3 kg of explosives, which it detonates upon striking the target after identifying it using GPS coordinates or on-board camera. The ZALA drone can also be controlled manually by a human operator. Which drones does India have?
The Indian Armed Forces have the lethal Harpy and Harop drones– both Israeli-made loitering munitions– that were extensively used during Operation Sindoor to devastating effect against Pakistani military targets as well as terrorist camps on the night of May 7.
