Diehl unveiled the Cobra 600 UAV jointly developed with Polaris to carry and fire IRIS-T air-to-air missiles at the ILA2026 exhibition being held in Germany.
Diehl, previously having teased its work on remote carrier UAVs for munition delivery, unveiled the Cobra 600 flying wing UAV to carry IRIS-T and potentially other air-to-air missiles at ILA2026. Diehl disclosed its partner in design as Polaris, which specialises in high-speed aircraft design.
The UAV adopts a semi-flying wing layout with wingtip vertical stabilisers and a pair of small turbojets. Each UAV can carry one IRIS-T WVRAAM on a top-mounted pylon. The choice of mounting is not so different from the previously spotted Geran-2/3 kamikaze UAVs with R-60 WVRAAMs.
Diehl states that Cobra 600 can be recovered after use as a reusable and on-station launcher for missiles. While launch platforms are not specified, it is safe to assume that surface platforms like trucks or catapults would be guaranteed.
A similar work from Germany is the Do-DT25 “Bird of Prey” UAV, which is based on a legacy high-speed target UAV but fitted with targeting systems and a pair of Mark 1 C-UAS missiles from Frankenburg Technologies.
Launchable missile-carrying UAVs as an emerging concept is distinct from full-fledged UCAVs or unmanned fighters, both of which also carry capable sensors for targeting. Adopting much simpler layouts, these UAVs with potential loitering capabilities bring the advantages of range extension or acting as "anti-aircraft mines" if loitering in a defined sector.
Author: Kaan Azman
Editor:Özgür Ekşi
