QinetiQ said its Banshee Jet 40+ aerial target has received approval for training international partners at the NATO Missile Firing Installation on the Greek island of Crete. The certification means all variants of the company’s aerial target solutions can be used at the NAMFI training facility, including related simulation technologies and flight paths.
Designed for threat representation and military operational training, the QinetiQ aerial target offers a 40-kilogram static thrust with an airspeed of 140 meters per second. It features CASPA avionics, integrated GPS and digital telemetry systems.
The Banshee Jet 40+ accreditation is the latest development in the Germany-led European Sky Shield Initiative, aiming to improve Europe’s integrated air and missile defense capabilities. As part of the initiative, ESSI partners can train at the NAMFI facility using QinetiQ targets and Diehl Defense’s IRIS-T SLM air defense missile system.
“With this latest qualification, QinetiQ is proud to offer its entire range of proven aerial and sea surface targets to support Europe’s defense forces in developing the skills and readiness they need to confront modern threats,” said Spyros Exarchos, QinetiQ’s business development manager.
Besides supplying aerial targets, QinetiQ also provides drone targets for military training applications. In January, the U.S. government awarded QinetiQ Target Systems Canada a $13.3 million contract to ensure the U.S. Navy continued access to the Vindicator II target drone.