US firm unveils 864-mile-range Troublemaker drone for one-way attack missions

What happened

US defense contractor Ideal Aerosmith has unveiled Troublemaker, a Group 3 uncrewed aircraft designed to deliver long-range strike, surveillance and decoy capabilities without relying on runways or extensive support infrastructure. Ideal Aerosmith adds that the aircraft can be launched from a catapult or truck and recovered using a skid landing system.

Long-range drone built for flexible missions According to specifications disclosed by company executive David Markert in an interview with Breaking Defense , Troublemaker has a wingspan of approximately 15 feet and a claimed range exceeding 750 nautical miles, or about 864 miles. The company says the aircraft can fly for more than 10 hours, cover distances exceeding 750 nautical miles and carry payloads of up to 30 pounds, giving military operators a flexible platform for missions in contested environments. Troublemaker is designed to serve as either an expendable one-way attack drone or a recoverable aircraft that can be reused after a mission.