QinetiQ delivers 10,000th Banshee
Image courtesy QinetiQ
The Banshee is a cost-effective Uncrewed Aerial Vehicle (UAV) designed for threat representation and operational training. It is used by more than 40 nations and can emulate crewed aircraft, missiles and other UAVs.
Produced at QinetiQ’s manufacturing facility in the southeast of England, the Banshee platform plays a critical role in military training exercises, including Formidable Shield, which is currently taking place off the northwest coast of Scotland. Capable of flying at speeds of up to 200 metres per second, the Banshee is used to represent various aerial threats and more recently, to generate drone swarms replicating real life threats as seen in Ukraine and the Red Sea.
QinetiQ offers a range of Banshee targets, including the Banshee Whirlwind, Jet 40+ and Jet 80+ variants. Each can be customised with optional payloads to simulate threats for various defence applications across maritime, air-to-air and land-to-air combat training.
Will Blamey, Chief Executive, QinetiQ UK Defence, said: “Building 10,000 Banshees is more than a production achievement, it’s a symbol of our global impact on defence preparedness.
“We are proud that every Banshee produced contributes to sharpening the operational readiness of our customers. With its customisable payloads and technology advancements, the Banshee is a realistic, adaptable and scalable training tool that continues to evolve, ensuring military readiness against evolving threats.”
