MBDA has unveiled a new one-way effector drone designed to trigger enemy defenses and expose them for follow-on strikes.
Shown at the 2025 Paris Air Show, the drone boasts a 40-kilogram (88- pound) warhead, “large enough” to compel the enemy’s defenses to destroy it.
It is powered by a jet engine and can travel up to 500 kilometers (311 miles), allowing it to reach deep into contested territory.
Built to launch in salvos, the effector aims to expose the positions of enemy systems and disrupt their layered defenses.
“The new effector is intended to force even the most sophisticated air defenses to reveal themselves, making them easier to detect and neutralize, in conjunction with other long-range strike systems,” MBDA noted.
The new saturation drone draws on battlefield lessons in Ukraine, where massed, low-cost drones have become a key part of high-intensity warfare.
‘1,000 Drones Per Month’
MBDA is partnering with drone and automotive manufacturers to mass-produce its new effector drone, tapping into civilian supply chains and industrial methods to scale quickly.
The shift marks a break from traditional, often slow-paced weapons manufacturing, enabling rapid, high-volume production to meet urgent operational demands.
The company said the new setup could deliver up to 1,000 effectors per month.
“MBDA has already demonstrated its ability to scale up, and continues to adapt through the development of new effectors that meet the need for mass, thanks to unique partnerships with civilian industry,” said MBDA CEO Eric Beranger.
Flight testing is expected to begin this autumn, with initial production deliveries targeted for 2027.
