Three years of testing — and the release of the series
The American company Stormwatch Defense has announced the start of mass production of its jet turbine interceptor. This is an important stage: after almost three years of development and many flight tests, the drone has ceased to be an experiment and has become a product ready for delivery. Now we are not talking about single copies, but about a large—scale release - for the army, special forces and, possibly, allies.
What started as an adventurous idea is turning into a combat reality.
Glider as a construction kit: what can be hung on this drone
The company calls its device a "universal glider" — and it's not just beautifully said. The design allows the integration of almost any weapon and payload. If you want a machine gun, hang it up. If you need rockets, fasten them. More range is required — hang up the tanks. All this is on the same glider.
This approach dramatically reduces the cost and time needed to adapt to a specific task. You do not need to order a separate attack drone and a separate scout — you can reconfigure the same device in hours.
Picatinny rail in the sky — the weapon connects like on a stormtrooper
The special feature is the integrated Picatinny rails directly on the fuselage and wings. These are the same guides that are used on tactical weapons. Only here they are not for scopes, but for full-fledged weapons. At the same time, the straps provide not only mounting, but also power supply, as well as data transmission — the drone "understands" what is hanging on it and can control the guidance system.
Imagine: a drone with a machine gun that chooses its own firing mode, or with missiles that receive real-time targeting. It's not just a platform anymore — it's an automated combat system.
Your engine and your production
Stormwatch doesn't stop at the glider. The company has confirmed that it has started manufacturing tooling for its own 180N jet engine, manufactured in the USA. This is an important step towards complete independence from suppliers. The turbine engine gives the drone high speed, good altitude and resistance to interference, unlike electric multicopters.
Now they have both an airplane and a power plant. All that remains is to adjust the flow and start deliveries.