Pakistan’s GIDS displayed the BLAZE 200 and BLAZE 400 loitering munitions during Egypt’s EDEX 2025 international defence exhibition held in New Cairo.
BLAZE 200 and BLAZE 400, shown during EDEX 2025, are GIDS’ long-range loitering munitions combining gimbal EO/IR seeker, GNSS guidance, high aspect ratio wings, and an internal combustion engine.
BLAZE 200, as the lighter variant, weighs 50 kg with a warhead capacity of 10 kg (Anti-Tank) to 20 kg (HE-FRAG), depending on warhead type. Thanks to the high amount of lift provided by the wing layout and the efficient internal combustion engine, the loitering munition can reach 100 km with LOS communication or 200 km in autonomous mode.
The heavier BLAZE 400, sharing the same layout, weighs 75 kg and with a 30 kg HE-FRAG warhead. Thanks to a stronger antenna, the maximum range is 150 km with LOS communication and 400 km in autonomous mode.
GIDS also hinted at smaller variants in its brochure, to use electric-driven propellers which can be scaled easily, are cheaper, and exhibit lower noise/heat signature. However, electric propulsion compared to internal combustion has significant drawbacks in endurance, which has led to this being utilised in man-portable or short-range loitering munitions, which are not expected to fly for long.
Author: Kaan Azman
Editor: Özgür Ekşi
