| MILKOR Press Release | |
New Milkor missile in the exploratory phase12 Mar 2025 Milkor's Marketing and Communications Director, Daniel du Plessis, told defenceWeb that "the Milkor missile system and the missile division is something that we are exploring at the moment." He said a missile "will add quite a lot of value to the platform itself if we can offer it with a weaponised solution that is locally or indigenously developed in South Africa." Although the project remains in its exploratory phase, and there have been no formal commitments made to the project to date, du Plessis remains optimistic about the potential benefits such a project could have not just for Milkor, but for South Africa. "I think we are going to sell quite a lot of these UAV systems with or without missile systems that are developed in this country." He said it would be ideal if local missile programmes that have been dormant could be revived, with some obsolescence issues being solved and missiles being integrated onto the Milkor 380. "I think it will be good for the economy; it will be good for the entities involved in those things. So, hopefully we can come to some sort of agreement with the Department of Defence and the various state-owned entities responsible for that," du Plessis said. Milkor was the Platinum Sponsor for the Public-Private Partnerships for Defence & Security Conference held on 7 March. The company's participation in the event was in part due to seeking partnerships on missile development, for example. "I think the one of the positive attributes towards partnering with a private defence company like ourselves, is that we have a global footprint, reputable image on the global market, and also an internal capability to do not just integration work but also development work at a rapid cycle, spearheading innovation specifically in the unmanned aerial sector. This is to say, partnering with a company like Milkor and reviving some of the internal capabilities and strategic capabilities in the missile sphere might be a good option," du Plessis said. He also told defenceWeb that Milkor is willing to work with state entities in South Africa or internationally or as well as other private companies who shared a similar outlook and that could add value to the missile project. The Milkor 380 medium-altitude, long endurance (MALE) UAV can carry up to 400 kg under the fuselage and 230 kg under each wing. Previously, the aircraft has been spotted with Al Tariq-X guided bombs and Desert Sting 25 glide weapons, amongst others. Fitted to the Milkor 380 at AAD 2024 were four mockups of the new missile with Milkor branding. The Milkor 380 has a wingspan of 18.6 metres and a maximum take-off weight of 1 300 kilograms. Endurance is 35 hours (when flying at 60 knots and an altitude of 10 000 feet above mean sea level) and range is over 2 000 kilometres, making it ideal for long-range missions such as border surveillance, maritime patrols, and even combat operations. The maximum service ceiling is 30 000 feet, though this is often limited by the operational capabilities of its onboard sensor systems. The UAV is equipped with dual redundant Line of Sight (LOS) communications systems that can maintain contact with its control unit for up to 250 km, with seamless transition between Line of Sight and Beyond Line of Sight (BLOS) communications, such as SATCom. Milkor has partnered with leading companies, such as Germany's Hensoldt, to integrate sophisticated sensor suites, including the ARGOS II HDT and ARGOS-15 airborne gimbals. These sensors are designed for precision targeting in combat operations and enhance the UAV's intelligence-gathering and electronic warfare capabilities. |
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Issued by: Armand Liebenberg/Guy Martin, Johannesburg - 2025-03-12 12:32:25 |
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Editorial contacts
Daniel du Plessis
Business Development Manager, Milkor (Pty) Ltd.
Milkor
Tel: +27 12 333 3134
Mobile: +27 68 468 5550
Email: [email protected]
Web: https://www.milkor.com/
Business Development Manager, Milkor (Pty) Ltd.
Milkor
Tel: +27 12 333 3134
Mobile: +27 68 468 5550
Email: [email protected]
Web: https://www.milkor.com/