Launch on the move: Rheinmetall completes successful breakthrough test
Rheinmetall has successfully completed a test of launching from a container launcher mounted on a moving truck. With a range of 100 km and advanced armor-piercing capability, the system is capable of launching up to 18 UAVs in succession.
The German defense giant Rheinmetall has successfully completed an innovative field test of the FV-014 loitering munition. As part of the demonstration, held at the National Test Center for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles in Kochstedt, the munition was launched from a dedicated container launcher mounted on an HX model truck — both from a stationary position and while in motion.
The new system is capable of holding and launching up to 18 unmanned aerial vehicles in succession. The FV-014 UAV combines reconnaissance, target identification, and precision strike capabilities in one system. It has an operational range of up to 100 kilometers, an endurance of up to 70 minutes in the air, and a takeoff weight of approximately 22 kilograms, of which about 6 kilograms is the payload.
After being launched from the container using a booster, the UAV deploys its folding wings and takes off. Its high-explosive warhead is characterized by the ability to penetrate over 600 millimeters of armor steel, making it effective for striking both armored and soft targets. Operator control is carried out from a ground station that allows for continuous monitoring and provides sufficient time for strike decision-making.
The successful test marks another significant step in the development of the defense industry in Germany. This development joins other moves in the region, including the unveiling of the joint "super tank" of Germany and France, equipped with an unmanned turret and UAVs, which serves as a command center for robotic systems on the battlefield.
