DÜSSELDORF (dpa-AFX) - Germany's largest defense contractor has entered the production phase for kamikaze drones. During the defense firm's online Annual General Meeting, CEO Armin Papperger stated: 'We are now moving into series production with this system at our Neuss facility.' He was referring to a drone capable of loitering for up to 70 minutes before diving onto a target to detonate.
A Rheinmetall spokesperson noted that the model is already being manufactured at a site in Braunschweig, and the company is on the verge of expanding this production to the Neuss site near Düsseldorf. The Neuss plant previously manufactured automotive components; Rheinmetall is currently divesting its struggling automotive supplier division.
The Neuss plant is slated for future use in the production of defense equipment, such as the FV-014 model drones. The Bundeswehr recently placed an order for such missiles totaling 300 million euros, with a framework agreement allowing for further orders. Initial deliveries are scheduled for next year.
Flight time exceeding one hour
According to the specifications, the drones have a range of up to 100 kilometers, with a warhead weighing approximately four kilograms including the fuse. The drone can remain airborne for up to 70 minutes to observe targets. While loaded with explosives, they are also utilized for reconnaissance purposes.
The aircraft is designed for single-use. In industry parlance, it is referred to as 'loitering munition'. Such drones are launched upward from a container via an ignition device, unfolding in mid-air to continue their flight. They cannot land or be reused: if the time expires and no target is identified, the Düsseldorf-based defense group's aircraft is designed to perform a controlled crash.
Rheinmetall developed the drone within a few months, CEO Papperger told the online AGM. 'With its four-kilogram warhead, it combines reconnaissance and impact.' The decisive and most critical point, he added, is that it is manufactured entirely within the EU, with the drone produced in Germany and the warhead in Italy.
Competitors Stark and Helsing have also received orders from the Bundeswehr for similar drones, making Rheinmetall a latecomer in this segment. The defense company maintains its administrative headquarters in Düsseldorf and its largest plant in Unterlüß, Lower Saxony, where approximately 4,000 people are employed by the arms manufacturer./wdw/DP/men
