TI Guardian
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Guardian | |
---|---|
Guardian landing at FAB Drysellis | |
Role | Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicle |
Designer | Triad Industries |
First flight | 15 December 2009 |
Introduction | 3 October 2017 |
Status | In service |
Primary user | Belfras See Operators |
Developed from | TI Sentinel |
The Triad Industries Guardian is an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) capable of both remote controlled and autonomous operations developed for service with the Belfrasian Air Force and is the third unmanned vehicle developed by Triad Industries, completing the corporations colloquially named 'Tri-force', taken from the popular video game series 'Zelda'. The Guardian drone shifts from it's two predecessor drones, the TI Aeseptus and the TI Sentinel, in having a stealth-oriented hull form and a turbofan jet engine as opposed to a turboprop.
While publicly the Guardian has never had information as to it's exact range and capabilities released, it completed a twenty-four hour test flight in 2016 with a detachable fuel tank underneath the main hull of the aircraft, although air force personnel stated that the fuel tank drastically reduced the vehicle's payload capacity, and would be more suited for usage when the drone is acting as a reconnaissance platform or a loitering strike package for special forces purposes.
Design
Operational history
Variants
Operators
Specifications
General characteristics
- Crew: 0 onboard, 2 in ground station
- Length: 13 m (43 ft) ()
- Rotor diameter: 20 m (66 ft) ()
- Height: ()
- Max. takeoff weight: 8,255 kg (18,199 lb) ()
- Powerplant: 1 × Augmenn 5500KKW turbofan, ()
Performance
- Maximum speed: 460 mph (740 km/h)
- Combat radius: 1,800 mi (2,900 km) ()
Armament
- Hardpoints: 7