Aircraft & UAVs

Armed UAV

Armed UAVs are military drones configured to carry guided weapons while still performing surveillance and target-acquisition duties. In the Tigray War, investigative reporting tied Ethiopian government drone strikes to the campaign, making armed UAVs a major part of the conflict's air war even when the underlying airframes varied by supplier.

Tigray WarEthiopian government and allies

Conflict side: Ethiopian government and allies
Built by: Various manufacturers
Built in: Various

Armed UAV, Armed unmanned aerial vehicle, Aircraft & UAVs

Image source: Bayraktar TB2 Ground.jpg

Profile

Type: Armed unmanned aerial vehicle
Conflict side: Ethiopian government and allies
Origin: Various military supply chains
Service note: 1990s-present; documented in the Tigray War

UAV strike reconnaissance precision fires

Service History

In service: Combat strike and reconnaissance use documented in the Tigray War
Used by: Ethiopian government and allied forces
Wars: Tigray War

Production History

Designer: Various military UAV designers
Designed: 1990s-present
Built by: Various manufacturers
Built in: Various
Unit cost: Varies by platform, sensor fit, and munition load
Produced: 1990s-present
Number built: Model-dependent and not publicly consolidated
Variants: Medium-altitude long-endurance strike UAV, Tactical armed UAV, Armed reconnaissance UAV

Specifications

Crew: 0
Control: Remotely piloted, with line-of-sight or beyond-line-of-sight links depending on the platform
Payload: Guided bombs, missiles, or mixed ISR and strike payloads depending on the airframe
Endurance: Typically hours; some medium-altitude systems exceed 20 hours
Mission set: Surveillance, target acquisition, and precision strike

Conflict Usage

Tigray War: Side: Ethiopian government and alliesRole: Armed strike and ISR supportstrike reconnaissance UAV
Ethiopian government and allied forces used armed UAVs in the Tigray War; investigative reporting tied the Dedebit strike to a Turkish drone and later reporting linked Ethiopian drone activity to the campaign.

Armed UAV Images

Armed UAV, Armed unmanned aerial vehicle, Aircraft & UAVs - view 1 — Source: Bayraktar TB2 Ground.jpg

Armed UAV, Armed unmanned aerial vehicle, Aircraft & UAVs - view 2 — Source: MQ-9 Reaper UAV.jpg

Armed UAV, Armed unmanned aerial vehicle, Aircraft & UAVs - view 3 — Source: Mohajer-6.jpg

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Sources

Bayraktar TB2Publisher: Baykar Technologies | Note: Supports armed UAV background and representative specifications, including armed/MALE status, endurance, payload, autonomous control, and precision-strike capability; representative class source, not Tigray War use evidence. | Accessed: 2026-06-21 MQ-9A ReaperPublisher: General Atomics Aeronautical Systems | Note: Supports armed UAV background and representative specifications, including multi-mission remotely piloted strike and ISR capability, endurance, payload, and weapons carriage; representative class source, not Tigray War use evidence. | Accessed: 2026-06-21 How Ethiopia used a Turkish drone in a strike that killed nearly 60 civiliansPublisher: The Washington Post | Note: Supports Tigray War direct use: Ethiopian government forces used a Turkish drone in the Dedebit strike in Tigray. | Accessed: 2026-06-21 Is Ethiopia Flying Iranian-Made Armed Drones?Publisher: Bellingcat | Note: Supports Tigray War direct use: Ethiopian government forces fielded likely Mohajer-6 armed UAVs in Tigray, with Semara imagery showing two drones and a ground-control station. | Accessed: 2026-06-21 Bayraktar TB2 Ground.jpgPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Image provenance and CC BY-SA 4.0 licensing page for the primary Bayraktar TB2 image. | Accessed: 2026-06-21 MQ-9 Reaper UAV.jpgPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Image provenance page and licensing context for the MQ-9 Reaper gallery image. | Accessed: 2026-06-21 Mohajer-6.jpgPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Image provenance page and licensing context for the Mohajer-6 gallery image. | Accessed: 2026-06-21