US’ bunker-buster warhead delivered from drone, destroys fortified target in battlefield test

The United States has tested its capability to deliver bunker-buster warhead from drones. The U.S. Army’s infantry drone operators successfully tested the new warhead designed for delivery by the unmanned aerial system. The live-fire demonstration of the Bunker Rupture and Kinetic Explosive Round (BRAKER) took place at Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, March 26. The test took place only weeks after the initial design and rapid prototyping of the system, and showcases the Army’s accelerated approach to innovation in the face of evolving threats. Concept to live-fire in two weeks “Our Picatinny team went from concept to live-fire in two weeks,” said Army Col. Vinson Morris, project manager of Project Manager Close Combat Systems. “Braker proves our ability to rapidly develop and safely deliver devastating effects from small, unmanned aircraft systems. We are now creating the architecture with Picatinny Common Lethality Integration Kit and the small, universal payload interface for industry to scale this critical warfighter advantage.” Lightweight, powerful and lethal warhead The Braker project is aimed at creating a lightweight, powerful and lethal warhead that could be deployed from a small, agile drone. The U.S. Army also revealed that the Picatinny Common Lethality Integration Kit is a safe and effective method for integrating lethal payloads with UAS platforms, designed and developed by engineers at the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Armaments Center. In early March, engineers from the Armaments Center began designing, explosive pressing, housing manufacturing and integrating the warhead to be used on a low-cost and expendable one-way attack drone. Shortly thereafter, transfer and compatibility tests were conducted at Picatinny Arsenal, and approximately a dozen warheads were assembled, one of which was tested on a makeshift test range bunker, according to a press release. After proving worthiness and validating effectiveness, the prototype warheads d…