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Thunder P-31

2021 PRECISION-GUIDED MUNITION DRONE TECHNOLOGY AIR-TO-SURFACE MISSILE STRIKE UAV MODERN

History

The Thunder P-31 is a precision-guidance kit developed by Halcon Systems, a subsidiary of UAE-based EDGE Group, that converts the MK 81 general-purpose aerial bomb into a guided munition. In 2021, Halcon signed a contract with the UAE Air Force to deliver the Thunder system and Desert Sting weapons to the armed forces worth $880 million (AED 3.2 billion). As of November 2025, Halcon acting CEO Saeed Al Shamsi stated that both the P-31 and P-32 had been in production for several years and were in operation with the local user.

On October 9, 2026, Morocco signed a contract with EDGE at the Marrakech Air Show to procure and integrate the Thunder P-31 across its unmanned combat aerial vehicle fleet. The agreement covers ammunition deliveries, aircraft modifications, weapon control software, integration, and long-term support. The target fleet includes at least 19 Bayraktar TB2s, Chinese Wing Loongs, and heavier Bayraktar Akıncı aircraft; contract value, ammunition quantities, and delivery schedule remain undisclosed. This contract marked the first confirmed integration of a Thunder-series weapon onto a combat drone, as no prior public precedent existed for such an integration.

Specifications

The Thunder P-31 is a cost-effective, short-range guidance kit fitted to the MK 81 general-purpose aerial munition. It employs GNSS-assisted inertial navigation (GAINS) with an optional semi-active laser (SAL) seeker for improved accuracy against designated targets. The complete guided weapon has a gross weight of 140 kg, of which the bomb-body component is 110 kg. Accuracy is 10 m CEP with GAINS only and 3 m CEP with GAINS plus SAL seeker. Maximum specified release altitude is 12,192 m.

Range varies with the releasing platform: 10 km when released from unmanned aircraft, 20 km when released from faster, higher-altitude aircraft, and 27 km maximum under different release conditions.

Variants

The Thunder family includes the P-31 (MK 81-based, 140 kg), P-32 (MK 82-based, 240 kg gross weight, 209 kg warhead, 24 km range), and P4 (MK 84-based). In November 2025, Halcon unveiled the Thunder ER, an extended-range variant under development that adds an aerodynamic wing kit to increase range from 20 km to possibly 80 km when released from high-altitude, high-speed aircraft, with first launch tests scheduled for 2026 and market availability expected in 2027.