The 'killer' drone aircraft which will help protect major dam in Afghanistan

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The unmanned Mantis killer ‘drone’ aircraft will guard supply pylons in the area where last week British troops carried out a daring mission to install a 200-ton turbine.

Designed to fly thousands of miles and last up to 30 hours without refuelling, the Mantis – which is the size of a small lorry – will carry Brimstone air-to-ground tank-busting missiles and GBU laser-guided bombs.

The Mantis is designed to fly thousands of miles and last up to 30 hours without refuelling

Unlike its smaller predecessor, the American-built Reaper, the British-made Mantis can take off and fly pre-programmed missions on its own.

The present generation of drones is controlled by a pilot using a joystick at a ground station.

A full-scale model, developed by a consortium that includes BAE Systems, QinetiQ, Rolls-Royce and GE Aviation, features ground-scanning radar and lasers, and is due to be tested later this year.