Paramount Group’s multi-mission Mwari aircraft has been equipped with advanced counter-drone technologies to enable the deployment of the aircraft as an effective counter Medium Altitude and Long Endurance (MALE) drone solution.
The clean-sheet designed Mwari is the next evolution in ‘Find, Fix & Finish’ technologies optimized for the anti-drone defense environment, capable of engaging MALE drones at altitudes of 20,000-30,000 feet, where only highly sophisticated and costly Ground-Based Air Defense Systems (GBADS) can reach, and which would otherwise require the intervention of fighter jets.
The Mwari system is equipped with advanced sensors, an extended range, and pinpoint accuracy designed to protect against the threats MALE drones pose to the territorial integrity of sovereign nations.
The system is capable of loitering at a minimum speed of 110 kts for up to 10 hours of flight time (with optional external fuel tanks for added endurance). It can be fully equipped with new generation, multi-role air-to-air missiles (with an engagement range of 4,000 meters) alongside rapid-fire, wing-mounted cannon pods (with an engagement range of 800 meters), offering the latest in advanced anti-drone lethality.
This capability builds on inherent onboard situational awareness technologies such as an encrypted, high-bandwidth data link and multi-spectrum search and track sensors, long range optical and radar surveillance systems, an SA7 CRM – Satellite Communication link, AIS – Ship ID Systems and real-time video; today, mission-critical hardware and software which can assess targets, including MALE drones in the 2,000 kg class, typically flown in high altitude surveillance patterns.
The Mwari design includes superior crew and sensors visibility which provides improved situational awareness, during the day or at night, ensuring that the aerial platform can undertake a wide range of missions in austere and remote environments, and on unprepared runways while requiring a limited logistical footprint.
“Historically, prohibitive costs have restricted anti-drone systems targeting MALE drone threats,” said Steve Griessel, CEO of Paramount Group. “Amidst this paradigm is where the Mwari perfectly steps in, the next and best-in-class precision technology, and able to operate at a fraction of the cost of alternative anti-drone solutions. No other singular aircraft has such an intuitive multi-mission application or can reach similar altitudes while hosting what is the industry’s gold standard in situational awareness technology.”
An Interchangeable Multi-Mission System Bay (IMSB) located in the fuselage further allows for system changes on the fly; updates, additions, and integrations in real-time are made possible, ensuring that the single airframe can be easily re-configured for different missions.
Despite hosting highly advanced technologies, the Mwari can be rapidly disassembled, transported in a C-130 or equivalent, and reassembled at a remote base, by a small crew with minimal infrastructure.
Drawing on both Paramount Group’s commitment to innovation and its extensive research and development (R&D) and manufacturing experience, the Mwari has been designed with portable production in mind. The aircraft could be exported in kit format for final assembly in customer countries and can easily integrate into supply chains around the world, enabling scalable mass production.
“We look forward to leveraging the innovative Mwari’s robust applications as the pre-eminent anti-drone defense solution and to its exciting next steps in adoption by our global partners,” Griesel concluded.
