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France's MBDA Durandal jet strike drone requires two more years to reach operational fielding

Published 22 October 2026

MBDA’s Durandal (also designated OWE 500+), a jet-powered strike drone with an advertised range of approximately 500 km positioned as France’s answer to Shahed-type loitering munitions, is estimated to need around two years of testing, production ramp-up and unit training before operational deployment, according to Defence Express. The programme illustrates that even technologically advanced states face multi-year lead times when scaling a domestic jet strike UAS from development to field-ready serial production.

Sources — 1 source

Telegram channel:Istoria Zbroi (Історія_Зброї) friendly21 Oct 2026 Open the post

Topicsdrones manufacturing

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