In a pioneering feat, a drone has successfully fired a torpedo for the first time. This represents a major leap forward in military technology.
Designated the T-600, this drone is a British-designed unmanned aerial vehicle able to carry a payload of up to 200 kilograms.
Torpedo-armed drones pose a formidable threat to warships and submarines for several reasons. They can strike at hard-to-reach targets beyond the range of conventional armaments.
Flying at high or low altitudes, drones are difficult to detect. Compared to manned aircraft, they can deliver more powerful payloads from longer distances with reduced vulnerability.
Overall, the precision delivery of heavy torpedo strikes ushers in alarming new capabilities for modern naval warfare. This demonstration will likely spur militaries to rapidly expand their drone fleets with anti-ship weapons, potentially igniting a new era of high-seas competition.
