FIRE STORM 250 Drone Live-Fires an M250 Machine Gun
Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) and SIG SAUER say they have completed a firing test of FIRE STORM 250, an unmanned aircraft that carries a remote weapon station and an M250 machine gun, according to an announcement published by Soldier Systems Daily.
Snapshot
The companies say the aircraft hovered, found targets with its camera and fired single shots and semi-automatic strings, and they list a 53-pound loaded weight, up to three hours aloft and a multi-fuel engine, with an operator authorizing every shot. The companies pitch it to small units for close air support, border security and overwatch, and IAI's chief executive calls the test proof of its push for integrated systems.
Key points
- The test: The aircraft hovered over a simulated battlefield, found targets with its onboard camera and fired in single-shot and semi-automatic modes from several distances and altitudes.
- Weapon package: A SIG SAUER MICROLIGHT remote controlled weapon station holds the M250. The companies put the combat-ready weight, with 200 rounds, at 53 pounds.
- Endurance: They say it can stay aloft for as long as three hours with 200 rounds aboard, and its VTOL layout needs no runway.
- Fuel: A multi-fuel internal-combustion engine lets crews refuel in the field with common operational fuel rather than recharging batteries.
- Human control: The operator gets live sensor imagery and tracking data, keeps control of the engagement and authorizes any firing.
Quick take
The companies pitch FIRE STORM 250 for close air support, border security, suppressive fire, overwatch and force protection, run by small units with little support. IAI President and CEO Guy Bar Lev described the test as proof of the company's push for integrated systems that give field forces an operational advantage. Sali Okanin, SIG SAUER's general manager in Israel, called the M250 "combat-proven technology." The companies planned to show it at AUSA 2026 in Washington, DC.
Read the full story at Soldier Systems Daily.