Milkor 380

Milkor 380
Milkor 380 doing a takeoff run
Role Unmanned combat aerial vehicle
National origin  South Africa
Manufacturer Milkor
First flight 2023
Introduction February 2021
Status In service
Primary user South African Air Force

The Milkor 380 is a Medium-altitude long-endurance (MALE) unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), developed by the South African company Milkor. The project aimed to develop a fully South African UAV, the largest of its kind designed and manufactured in Africa, with all components built in-house. The maiden flight was on 19 September 2023.

The UAV has an operational range exceeding 2,000 kilometers, making it well-suited for long-range missions such as border surveillance, maritime patrols, and combat operations, featuring five hardpoints for various weapons and reconnaissance payloads.

The MA80 demonstrator conducted its maiden flight in 2017. Initial prototypes of the Milkor 380 were produced using a composite lay-up process. However, advancements in manufacturing techniques have led to the adoption of vacuum infusion resin manufacturing.

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