Indonesia receives ordered Banshee Whirlwind target drones

The Banshee Whirlwind aerial target drone. Photo c/o QinetiQ.

The Indonesian Armed Forces (TNI) has received 59 units of the Banshee Whirlwind aerial target drones from British company QinetiQ Target Systems (QTS), as confirmed by the company in a press release on 6 April 2020.

According to the same press release, the contract for the acquisition of the drones was signed in May 2019, and that the target drones will allow the TNI to “better prepare for adversary threats”.

No date was mentioned on when the TNI received the target drones although QTS confirmed that delivery and customer training has been completed.

The Banshee Whirlwind is powered by a rear-mounted rotary engine allowing flight profiles over 100 kilometers, able to reach a flight altitude of over 7,000 meters high, and sea-skimming flights as low as 5 meters above sea level with the help of radar altimeter.

It can be used to represent threats posed by UAVs, aircraft, and cruise missiles, allowing for the testing of effectiveness and operational readiness of weapon systems including air-to-air missiles, and ground based air defense gun and/or missile systems.


[1] QinetiQ 
[2] Defpost