StandOff & PGM Weapons

[Forest Green]

Spain’s Indra unveils Squall, a new low-cost cruise missile for ‘mass attacks’​

https://breakingdefense.com/2026/09...new-low-cost-cruise-missile-for-mass-attacks/

Spanish defense manufacturer Indra has unveiled a new, low-cost cruise missile for striking targets more than 300 kilometres (186 miles) away, the company says.

Alongside Squall, the Spanish manufacturer also unveiled its Drizzle effector drone, which it says was developed to neutralize drones and hit “light assets” located at a maximum distance of 130 kilometres, or around 80 miles.

 

[MigLui]

Haven't seen much information on the Kratos Ragnarok LCCM.
Seems almost as small as a leidos AGM-190 Havok Spear, but with slightly greater range and larger warhead., as it will fit in the IWB of the Kratos XQ-58 Valkyrie made for a SD Bomb.

Is anyone aware of guidance systems and/or terminal guidance, as well as propulsion ( most likely Kratos Spartan TJ based ) and exact dimensions ?

Would like to see Europe develop a 'Rapid Dragon' type launch system, to be used in C-235/295. C-27J and C-400, capable of 'flooding the zone' with reasonably long range, high accuracy, low cost cruise missiles.
Ragnarok and Havok Spear seem ideally suited, as a well placed small explosive package can do disproportionately high damage to command/communication centers, mobile launch platforms, training camps, etc.
Especially since @ $150000/missile, $150 Million will get you 1000 of them

 

[timmymagic]

Would like to see Europe develop a 'Rapid Dragon' type launch system, to be used in C-235/295. C-27J and C-400, capable of 'flooding the zone' with reasonably long range, high accuracy, low cost cruise missiles.

Germany has trialled air launch of drones from A400M, not a huge leap from that. France has also begun to look at it in detail.

 

[NMaude]

Germany has trialled air launch of drones from A400M, not a huge leap from that. France has also begun to look at it in detail.

That should be fairly straightforward to do, I can see France developing its' own version of the "Rapid Dragon" but deploying Storm Shadow cruise-missiles.

 

[Scott Kenny]

That should be fairly straightforward to do, I can see France developing its' own version of the "Rapid Dragon" but deploying Storm Shadow cruise-missiles.

The hard part is the disposable data link telling the contents where to go and when to drop/launch.

 

[timmymagic]

The hard part is the disposable data link telling the contents where to go and when to drop/launch.

Is it? If you're dropping a pallet of 4 £1m missiles, each of which have a 'disposaable' data link onboard already all you need to do is have release sequencer to get them out as soon as the parachute and rack is stable in a set sequence and away you go...targets will have been programmed prior to launch from the carrier aircraft.

 

[MigLui]

dropping a pallet of 4 £1m missiles

That seems counter to the stated purpose, as $1Million missiles are kind of expensive, no ?

As a matter of fact, to reduce expenses further, if attacking fixed targets, where no mid-course guidance, or abort, is needed, one has to include the 'disposable data link' on the pallet cage only, with electrical connections to each missile, as they won't be needed after firing/target designation.

 

[Scott Kenny]

Is it? If you're dropping a pallet of 4 £1m missiles, each of which have a 'disposaable' data link onboard already all you need to do is have release sequencer to get them out as soon as the parachute and rack is stable in a set sequence and away you go...targets will have been programmed prior to launch from the carrier aircraft.

And that release sequencer is the disposable data link that talks to the FCS on the plane.

Ordies dont like using data links at short ranges, its possible to induce a voltage into the electric blasting cap which then comes with a no-substitutions side order of earthshattering kaboom.

 

[red admiral]

In this case the "data link" is a cable, and the "smarts" are on a ruggedised laptop that you keep on board the launch aircraft. This isn't difficult or high tech.

 

[timmymagic]

That seems counter to the stated purpose, as $1Million missiles are kind of expensive, no ?

As a matter of fact, to reduce expenses further, if attacking fixed targets, where no mid-course guidance, or abort, is needed, one has to include the 'disposable data link' on the pallet cage only, with electrical connections to each missile, as they won't be needed after firing/target designation.

Not at all. The original (for the UK) concept back in the FOAS/CASOM days was a pallet launching the likes of Tomahawk or Storm Shadow (probably an extended range version). The idea was to get essentially long range strategic bomber capability using C-17. Huge range, and payload, but limited sensors/self defence or speed....so you'd want those missiles launched from as far away from defences as possible...that meant big and expensive.

Granted there is a new generation of smaller, less expensive missiles arriving. But there is no secret sauce.....you get what you pay for, lower LO, different flight profiles, lower speed/range and, in many cases, less advanced navigation and targeting. They might be great for some targets....but not for all. A modern high end, LO, long range missile will come with a data link and sensors to enable dynamic re-routing, re-targeting in flight and moving target capability. There are a lot of targets, particularly in the early days of a campaign, that will need that.

 

[Forest Green]

Meet Russia’s Dan-T: A Cheap Cruise Missile Moscow Plans to Mass-Produce in 2027​

https://united24media.com/war-in-uk...le-moscow-plans-to-mass-produce-in-2027-22035

“The missile has a flight range of 500 km with a 135 kg warhead,” kriegsforscher said. The analyst noted that the scale of projected production poses an increased threat due to the high volume of low-cost, hard-to-intercept weapons, as well as the variety of launch systems including ground platforms, ships, and military aircraft.

 

[MigLui]

That looks surprisingly like a Zone5 Rusty Dagger ( AGM-188A ), one of whose parts were recently investigated by Russia, after the Ukrainians used one in an attack.
Does seem to carry less fuel for a reduced range, and a heavier warhead.

 

[swerve]

https://www.yahoo.com/news/science/articles/ex-british-f1-engineers-build-170500839.html

"466 mph" - or 750 kph. And 661 lb - or 300 kg. A bit of spurious precision there.