Rheinmetall turns trucks into mobile strike-drone launchers
Photo: Rheinmetall has taught trucks to launch attack drones (company press office)
Rheinmetall successfully tested the launch of FV-014 barrage munitions from a container-based launcher mounted on a moving truck chassis.
Both the container-based missile launcher and the FV-014 loitering munition system are the company’s own developments. The product demonstration took place at the National Test Center for Unmanned Aerial Systems at the German Aerospace Center in Cochstedt.
As part of the demonstration, the FV-014 was launched from a Rheinmetall HX truck, both from a stationary position and while in motion.
The FV-014 drones combine reconnaissance, target identification, and high-precision strike capabilities within a single system and have an operational range of up to 100 kilometers. The system is suitable for engaging both armored and unarmored targets.
Launch takes place from a transport and launch container using a booster. Depending on the selected container model, the launcher can hold up to 18 FV-014s. After ejection, the drone unfolds its folding wings and takes flight.
With a flight duration of up to 70 minutes, the operator has ample time for reconnaissance, target selection, and making attack decisions. The system is controlled via a user-friendly ground station with continuous monitoring.
FV-014 drones have a takeoff weight of approximately 22 kilograms, including a payload of about six kilograms. The UAV's high-explosive warhead has a penetration capability of over 600 millimeters of armored steel and is equally effective against both armored and unarmored targets.
Earlier, the Germans, together with the French, unveiled a supertank equipped with an unmanned turret and drones. The new vehicle is capable of serving as a command center for robotic systems directly on the battlefield.
The German Army has ordered over 2,000 all-wheel-drive trucks from Rheinmetall. The contract is worth approximately one billion euros.
