Top 10 Finest Combat Drones in the World You Must Know About (2024)

The top 10 finest combat drones in the world have gained immense popularity for their potential

Combat drones have gained immense popularity across the globe for the fact that they stand the potential to be used for intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition, reconnaissance, and carrying aircraft ordnance such as missiles, ATGMs, and/or bombs in hardpoints for drone strikes. There are over 100 countries that make use of combat drones and this very fact is enough to conclude that these drones have a lot in store to offer. On that note, have a look at the top 10 finest combat drones in the world you must know about.

MQ-9 Reaper

MQ-9 Reaper is an unmanned aerial vehicle that has gained a reputation as the world’s first hunter-killer UAV with long-range, high-altitude surveillance capabilities. When compared to others, this is larger, heavier, and way more powerful. No wonder, it is one of the most technologically advanced drones available today. It has become the most widely created, accepted, and used a drone in no time.

TAI Aksungur

Aksungur is a medium-altitude long-endurance unmanned aerial vehicle developed by y Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) for the Turkish Armed Forces. What is worth a mention is the fact that this drone is built with the existing technology from the TAI Anka series of drones to make it more reliable and better. Amazing, right? Additionally, it has better payload capacity for mission-specific equipment. Hence, it is ideal for long-term surveillance, signals intelligence, marine patrol operations, and usage as an unmanned combat aerial vehicle.

GJ-11 Sharp Sword

Hongdu GJ-11 Sharp Sword is yet another exceptional unmanned combat aerial vehicle that boasts of having a large internal weapon bay and the ability to deliver laser-guided munitions, which would likely result in performance comparable to other stealth drones of this type. It is designed by Shenyang Aircraft Design Institute (SYADI), Shenyang Aerospace University (SAU), and Hongdu Aviation Industry Group (HAIG).

Okhotnik B

The Russian S-70 Okhotnik is a long-range, stealth combat drone that can fly solo sorties as well as collaborate with fifth-generation Russian aircraft such as the Su-57. With an ability to a take-off weight of around twenty tonnes, a maximum speed of approximately one thousand kilometers per hour, and an operational range of approximately six thousand kilometers, you know this is an ideal combat drone that you wouldn’t want to miss out on.

EADS Barracuda

The EADS Barracuda is a jet-powered unmanned aerial vehicle that is designed for aerial reconnaissance and combat. The aircraft is a collaboration between Germany and Spain, and it is designed to carry 300 kilograms of precision munitions in its internal bay. What’s worth a mention is the fact that the Barracuda was the first European military drone of its sort.

Avenger

Powered by a turbofan engine, the Avenger boasts unique features such as internal weapon storage and an s-shaped exhaust for reduced infrared and radar signatures. This combat drone can transport an incredible amount of munitions and lift nearly 3 tonnes of them. It has a distinct design and speed to boost its survivability in high-threat scenarios further giving users more comprehensive quick-response armed reconnaissance capabilities.

XQ-58 Valkyrie

Kratos XQ-58 Valkyrie, a stealthy unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV) is designed and built by Kratos Defense & Security Solutions. Initially, this drone was known as XQ-222. Made under the Low-Cost Attritable Aircraft Technology (LCAAT) portfolio, this combat drone boasts of great user experience, something that you wouldn’t want to miss!

X-47B

X-47B is designed for missions from aircraft carriers. Built by American defense technology company Northrop Grumman as a part of DARPA’s J-UCAS program, this combat drone is apt for aircraft carrier-based operations. In no time, X-47B became a significant part of the United States Navy’s Unmanned Combat Air System Demonstration (UCAS-D) program. The X-47B is a blended-wing tailless jet-powered aircraft capable of semi-autonomous flight and aerial refueling.

Wing Loong II

Yet another unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) that’s capable of remotely controlled or autonomous flight is Wing Loong ll. This was developed by the Chengdu Aircraft Industry Group in China. The concept was introduced in September 2015 at the Aviation Expo China in Beijing, intended for use as a surveillance, aerial reconnaissance, and precision attack platform. As far as the capabilities are concerned, the drone is capable of long-distance strikes through satellite connections, carrying up to 200 kilos of laser-guided bombs and so much more.

Dassault nEUROn

A group of countries including France, Greece, Italy, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland came up with Dassault nEUROn. This experimental unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV) can function in medium-to-high-threat combat zones. Over some time, this drone has been optimized for testing various technologies for future UAVs and UCAVs and will not go into serial production.