The Teledyne FLIR Rogue 1 loitering munition is seen in company promo art. (Teledyne FLIR)
TAMPA, Fla. — Armed drones, loitering munitions and launched effects were all center stage at this year’s SOF Week expo here, with companies like Teledyne FLIR and AV showing off their latest systems.
Teledyne FLIR displayed Block 2 of its electrically propelled, quadrotor Rogue 1 lethal unmanned aerial system, which also recently went under contract for the Army’s Low Altitude Stalking and Strike Ordnance (LASSO) program.
Unveiled on the first day of SOF Week, Rogue 1 Block 2 has twice the range of the Block 1 variant at more than 20 kilometers (12.4 miles). It also has a new “shape charge jet, anti-armor payload” designed to neutralize “hardened vehicles.” Additional improvements include advanced communications, autonomy and electronic warfare resilience mission suites, a company spokesperson told Breaking Defense.
“After two years of customer fielding and success with the US Marine Corps Organic Precision Fires-Light, US Special Operations Command Ground Organic Precision Strike Systems programs and more, the Block 2 upgrade leverages user feedback to greatly enhance performance, resilience, and operational capability, all while maintaining existing form-factor,” a company statement read.
