German defence company Rheinmetall unveiled a mobile launcher for attack drones at the Eurosatory defence trade fair in Paris as it moves ahead with plans to manufacture the weapons in Germany.
The container-based system can store and launch up to 18 drones, including multiple drones at the same time, creating what the company described as salvo launches.
The drones are operated remotely and can remain airborne for up to 70 minutes with a range of around 100 kilometres, Rheinmetall said. They can be guided by an operator or use artificial intelligence to help identify and track targets, although a human remains involved in the decision-making process.
The drones, designated FV-014, carry an explosive payload weighing about 4 kilograms, including the fuse. Once launched, they cannot land because they have no landing gear and are armed for attack missions.
If a drone fails to find a target within its assigned mission time, it is programmed to crash in a controlled manner in an area where it is unlikely to cause damage, the company said.
Rheinmetall plans to begin production of the so-called loitering munitions in the third quarter at its site in the western German city of Neuss, near Düsseldorf.
The facility is being converted from an automotive supplier plant into a defence production site that will manufacture drones, satellites and turrets for air-defence vehicles.
Timo Haas, head of Rheinmetall's digital systems division, said the Containerized Missile Launcher (CML) could also be used with missiles and drones made by other manufacturers.
