MBDA and the Brazilian XMobots showcased the Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicle (UCAV) Nauru 1000C UAS equipped with Enforcer Air missiles at LAAD Defence and Security Fair 2023 in Rio de Janeiro.

Join MBDA at #LAAD2023 as we showcase our industrial partnership with @xmobots, an expert in #drone technology.
See first-hand how our collaboration is driving advancements in defence and aerospace. pic.twitter.com/NkEhUXxz24

— MBDA (@MBDAGroup) April 12, 2023

The cooperation between XMobots and MBDA goes back to 2022 and involved the signature of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the integration of a variant of the Enforcer anti-tank missile (Enforcer Air) designed by MBDA Germany into the Nauru 1000C UAS.

Also read: ENFORCER | MBDA’s man-portable, lightweight anti-tank missile system 

Concerning the platform, which has been completely developed in Latin America, it was originally designed as a reconnaissance and surveillance UAS ordered by the Brazilian Army. 

To date, the system appears to be a multi-mission Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) capable of conducting a series of missions such as intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance (ISTAR), electronic warfare, target detection, cargo transportation, and lethal payload (underway).

According to the XMobots, one of the things that makes the said system stand out is its fully-integrated sensor suite. 

This is composed of an optronic stabilizer XSIS 222A Gimbals containing an electro-optical (EO) camera, a cooled medium wave infrared camera (MWIR), a laser rangefinder and a laser pointer, two ground moving target indicators (GMTI), 3D synthetic aperture radars (SARs), a camera system producing 3D maps, a data link terminal and a ground control station (GCS) within a container. 

Hence, the system allows the capture of stabilized HD daylight and night images, while the XSIS sensor provides target coordinates, automatic tracking of moving targets as well as target designation and detection using invisible laser capabilities.

Regarding the GCS, this has three workstations, one for controlling the UAV, and one for the payload, while the third can be a backup or be used to reprogramme the mission while in flight. In addition to these, the system integrates 2 autopilot systems, assuring redundancy in all systems of the aircraft and offering a high-security level in its operations.

Yet, another feature that makes NAURU special is its hybrid propulsion, which consists of a 50-liter fuel tank and an electric system that counts on the efficiency of 8 engines with their independent batteries. Thus, not only can the platform rely on its fixed-wing combustion engine, but it can also be used as a multi-rotor octacopter, which offers Vertical Take-off and Landing (VTOL) capabilities.

Nauru 1000C UAS technical characteristics: 

• Wingspan: 7.7 meters with wingtip vertical fins
• Endurance: 10 hours
• Ceiling: 10,000 feet
• Maximum operational range: 60 km owing to data link
• Maximum take-off weight: 150 kg
• Payload: 21 kg (optronic Gimbal of 6 kg) with the capacity to carry two MBDA Enforcer Air missiles
• Maximum speed: 60 knots
• Height: 0.98 meters
• Length (central fuselage): 2.9 meters

According to XMobots CEO Giovani Amianti’s statements last March, integration could be completed by 2025, while MBDA officials said a feasibility study and three field trials are planned, which will take place at a later stage.

Also read: Mistral ATAM | MBDA’s remarkable air-to-air Mistral missile system variant