Image source: topwar.ru
Ukraine has long been a testing ground for weapons and equipment of Western countries supplied by the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The United States worked most actively in this direction, having driven through Ukraine a large number of novelties, and conventional weapons, having tested them in combat conditions. This time Spain decided to offer its weapons for testing.
The Spanish company Arquimea offered Ukraine barrage ammunition of its own production Q-SLAM-40 (Arquimea—Surgical Loitering Airborne Ammunition 40 mm). The drone, designed to hit targets at short distances, was shown at the FIENDEF-2023 exhibition, which opened in Madrid on May 17.
The Spanish kamikaze drone operates at a range of up to 15 km, it is capable of being in the air for up to 15 minutes. A pneumatic catapult is used to launch, one cylinder is enough for three launches. The engine is electric, installed in the aft part. The drone is almost silent, which makes it difficult to detect and identify it. A 40 mm grenade with an electronic fuse is used as a warhead. There are several types of warheads to choose from – anti-tank, inert and training. The drone is equipped with a camera, which allows the operator to maintain control until the moment of hitting the target. The length of the drone is 830 mm, the body is made of composite materials, the wingspan is 1.4 m.
The whole complex weighs 28 kg, fits in two backpacks and is carried by two servicemen. The deployment of the complex takes no more than 5 minutes.
If Ukraine purchases a certain amount of Q-SLAM-40, the company can continue work on this drone and offer a more "heavy" version of the drone with an increased load and flight range.