Chapter 383: Magic Power Drones

Besides these basic individual weapons, Murphy also showed Patrick some special equipment such as an invisibility cloak—called "Void Particle Photochemical Camouflage" by Murphy.

Then there is the "Muggle Repelling Anti‑recon Armor"; if you wrap another layer of invisibility cloak over it, you can march in broad daylight straight into the enemy formation and plant a bomb right in front of the enemy troops.

After the Light Weapon R&D Department finished, they went to the Long‑Range Weapon R&D Department, where the focus is on various models of drones.

"This is a swarm drone," Murphy said, pulling out a palm‑sized wooden model for Patrick to see, "It uses the Floating Spell and the Flight Spell for propulsion; with a 500‑gram payload it can operate for 12 hours, has an effective combat radius of 400 km, and if used as a one‑time suicide drone its combat radius extends to 800 km. Its maximum altitude reaches three thousand meters, average speed is 60 km per hour, and its ascent, descent, and turning are all extremely agile. It can carry a single‑use bomb whose power is comparable to a hand grenade."

"This is one of our smaller drones; its power is limited, but it can perform ultra‑long‑range precision strike missions."

"Oh, right, it's a wooden structure; the material cost is no more than a box of ballpoint pens. Some enchantment techniques are required, but overall its price is only equivalent to the cheapest rocket."

"They can form swarms; our current plan is roughly forty drones per squad, ten squads per battalion, and ten battalions per regiment."

"For swarm control we use three methods: one via Magic Power satellite remote control, one via radio‑signal remote control, and the last using an Activation Spell—actually I mean Void Particle Biomimicry Technology, which gives the drones bee‑like biomimetic traits, and with a single queen bee leading, the swarm can form formations, fly, and carry out combat missions."

"These swarm drones are tiny, emit no electromagnetic signals, and have excellent anti‑detection and anti‑interference capabilities. In swarm mode they also possess autonomous target selection and precision strike ability; a single swarm squad can deliver a devastating blow to a company‑level enemy."

"At the same time, swarm drones can be used to destroy enemy drones, communication gear, artillery positions and the like, annihilating equipment worth thousands of times more at a very low cost. It's all about high value at low price—one of our flagship products."

"Now," Murphy moved to the next display case and showed Patrick a drone about two meters long, "this is the Hawk."

"It's made of engineered injection‑molded material; it's far more capable than the swarm. Designed payload cruise speed is 280 km/h, maximum speed 400 km/h, maximum flight altitude over ten thousand meters, permanent endurance, and its effective combat range can reach the entire globe if needed."

Its core is essentially a flying broom, but it has been heavily modified; it no longer looks like a broom and resembles an aircraft, which adds aerodynamic benefits, allowing its speed to exceed that of a normal flying broom.

"It has a design payload of 70 kg, can carry one or two small missiles or cluster bombs, or several light weapons such as a rain‑storm machine gun. The price is also very cheap, and it is reusable."

"It uses portrait technology to generate an advanced combat AI, loads the FlyComeSpell and DirectionSpell for automatic target seeking, and is equipped with the 'Si Shen's Eye' targeting system for precise guidance and combined detection‑strike capability. When necessary it can also apply an Illusion Body Spell invisibility coating together with a Muggle Repelling Spell anti‑recon coating, ensuring it is not detected by anti‑air firepower."

"Similarly, the Hawk can be swarm‑controlled; a Hawk squadron swarm is enough to destroy an enemy brigade."

Patrick looked at the thing in front of him—just a little over two meters tall—and it looked like a pile of plastic shells called the 'Hawk'.

It feels like this world is truly about to be turned upside down.

Its cost is estimated at at most a few tens of thousand Pound Sterling, but its anti‑recon coating alone can blind any Muggle anti‑air firepower. Coupled with its terrifying endurance and payload, Murphy says a Hawk squadron swarm—forty Hawk drones—can indeed destroy an enemy division; it's no empty boast.

This gap is even more exaggerated than the father‑versus‑son military‑technology disparity seen in the Gulf War a few years ago.

Just imagine an enemy you cannot see or detect, dropping from ten thousand meters a cluster bomb that can precisely guide itself to the top of your skull—what would that feel like?

And even if you painstakingly destroy it, the enemy loses only a few tens of thousand Pound Sterling worth of junk, while the damage it can inflict can reach tens of billions of Pound Sterling.

This war is lost before it even begins.

"Finally, this is 'Hela'." Murphy finally led Patrick to the back of the exhibition hall, where a display rack held a large drone nearly ten meters long.

At last, it looks far more technological: overall it resembles a shuttle, with two pairs of X‑shaped fixed wings fore and aft, a matte gray‑black finish, two heavy machine guns mounted beneath the fuselage, and four missile hardpoints on the wings.

"It possesses all the advantages of the Hawk, such as Illusion Body Spell and Muggle Repelling Spell coatings, portrait‑based advanced AI, automatic target seeking, Si Shen's Eye, etc. In addition, it can add Armor Spell armor to boost survivability. Its standard cruise speed is 2 Mach, maximum speed 4 Mach, ceiling 15,000 m, and it has permanent endurance."

"Its effective payload is 1 ton, but the cabin employs seamless extension technology and Enlarge Shrink Spell technology, allowing the payload to be increased to 200 tons."

"It can carry all models of missiles and bombs, including strategic‑level nuclear warheads."

"On its conventional armament, both heavy machine guns are equipped with Si Shen's Eye and a rainstorm system, and they also incorporate the 'Thunder God's Hammer' enchantment, which magnifies the gun's projectiles tenfold. The 150 mm 'projectile' falling from 15,000 m under gravity, despite air resistance, can still be accelerated to roughly 2 Mach."

"In other words, each shot from this heavy machine gun is equivalent to a heavy artillery shell, enough to pierce tank armor."

"At the same time, Hela is equipped with a Magic Power radar, powered by a small Magic Stone, capable of Spell‑based attacks."

"A single Hela drone can destroy an enemy division."

Patrick finally managed to catch his breath, and he suddenly realized that the talk he gave on TV about making the United Kingdom great again might not have been pure bluster after all; the goal now seemed not distant at all.

Next, Murphy took Patrick on a tour of the "Aerospace Weapon R&D Department".

There were no physical exhibits here; Murphy had a few experts show Patrick several PPT slides, covering Magic Power Combat Satellites, Apparition missiles, Aerospace Combat Warehouses, Space Magic Spell Systems, Cluster Spell Antennas, Astronomical Weapon Satellites, and so on.

In short, Murphy is preparing to build a swarm of space combat fortresses capable of global saturation strikes.

After viewing the PPTs, Patrick's mind was buzzing; he no longer asks Murphy whether he intends to conquer the world—clearly, the preparations are already in full swing!

"These aren't just a money‑grabbing scheme, are they?" Patrick asked.

"They're all PPTs, no physical items in sight; no matter how you look at it, it just seems like a scam targeting gullible fools."

"But he and Murphy are one and the same, so there's no need for the other side to hide anything from him."

"Guess?" Murphy said with a mischievous grin.

He then explained: "The technology is too advanced to display for now, and the main R&D base for this area isn't here either."

Patrick understood that Aerospace Weapon R&D likely involves Murphy's most core Magic Power technologies, and he would feel more at ease keeping them within the borders of the Su State, where he can have complete control.

"But the Outer Space Treaty forbids deploying weapons in space…" Patrick reminded.

"We can start quietly."

"For example, launch ten thousand satellites into orbit first."

(End of Chapter)