US C100 drone: A small military drone has helped US special forces guide mortar rounds towards targets that are farther away than the normal range of a 120 mm mortar. The test was carried out at the White Sage Mortar Range in Dugway, Utah. Leonardo DRS announced the results on October 14, 2026. The test involved a C100 quadcopter made by Performance Drone Works (PDW) and a laser targeting system built by Leonardo DRS.
How the Drone Helped Guide Mortar Rounds
The C100 drone carried the STAG-5 electro-optical and infrared (EO/IR) gimbal. This system has cameras for viewing targets during the day and at night. It also has a laser target designator that helps mark a target so a guided weapon can find it.
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During the test, the drone marked targets for precision mortar rounds. The rounds were able to reach targets beyond the usual maximum range of a smoothbore 120 mm mortar. According to PDW’s report on the event, the strikes reached more than 1.5 kilometres beyond the mortar’s standard range. The result was repeated on another nearby target. Leonardo DRS didn’t give the exact distance or number of rounds used in its October announcement, reported Defence blog.
The event was called the Iron Sting Precision Mortar Validation Event. It was organised by the Capability Development and Innovation office, which was earlier known as the Irregular Warfare Technical Support Directorate. The office works under the Secretariat for Special Operations and supported the US Army Special Operations Command during the test.
The event checked the safety, accuracy and extended-range performance of new precision mortar weapons. It also gave military operators a chance to use the equipment in realistic training conditions.
What is the STAG-5 Laser Targeting System?
A laser designator marks a target with a coded beam. A laser-guided weapon can then use the reflected beam to move towards the marked spot. Placing this system on a drone allows soldiers to mark targets from a safer distance instead of needing to get close themselves. The drone can also help them watch the target area and check the results after a strike.
“The STAG-5 is designed to provide operators with precise, reliable ISR and targeting capabilities that can enhance mission effectiveness across a wide range of operational environments,” said Jerry Hathaway, senior vice president and general manager of the Electro-Optical Infrared Systems business at Leonardo DRS.’
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Leonardo DRS hasn’t named the exact mortar ammunition used in the test. The event’s name is the same as Iron Sting, a 120 mm guided mortar round made by Israel’s Elbit Systems. That weapon combines GPS and semi-active laser guidance and has been used by the Israel Defense Forces since 2023. However, it’s not confirmed whether this specific round was used during the test.
C100 Drone Already Selected by the US Army
The C100 is a quadcopter that can be carried in a rucksack. It can carry a payload of around 6.8 kg (15 pounds) and fly for up to 74 minutes. In September 2024, the US Army selected PDW’s C100 and Anduril’s Ghost X for its Company-Level Small Uncrewed Aircraft System programme. The drones are meant to support tasks like surveillance, reconnaissance and finding targets for military units.
