Tactical UAVs may soon carry small missiles

Raytheon’s Small Tactical Munition would give battalion-sized Marine Corps units the ability to use unmanned aerial vehicle for strikes.

The Army and Marine Corps might soon equip their medium-sized unmanned aerial vehicles with 12-pound bombs, reports Spencer Ackerman at Wired’s Danger Room blog.

Defense contractor Raytheon has been working for two years to develop the Small Tactical Munition, which would give battalion-sized units the ability to not only use tactical UAVs for reconnaissance, but also for unmanned aerial strikes.

The Marines’ request to outfit their Shadow UAV prompted the development and testing of the Small Tactical Munition in recent months at Yuma Proving Ground, Ariz.