Allies send new UAVs to Ukraine

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Ukraine’s allies in Europe are sending the country new UAVs and counter-UAV equipment, reported The Defense Post.

German weapons provider Rheinmetall is preparing to send its LUNA NG (next generation) unmanned reconnaissance UAV to Kyiv, the company announced August 14. The system should be delivered by the end of the year, according to Rheinmetall.

The LUNA NG is part of a sizable military aid package for Ukraine initiated by the German government in July. Per Rheinmetall, the package includes a ground control station and several UAVs, as well as a launch catapult, an optional net equipment for catching landing UAVs and equipment for rapid repair. The system is mounted on a Rheinmetall HX truck with a swap body system.

The UAV is designed for a range of mission-specific payloads — including LTE network and electronic warfare support measures such as detection, classification and analysis of electromagnetic radiation for threat detection.

UAV can remain aloft for more than 12 hours and maintain a datalink range of up to 100 kilometers normally, and up to 300 kilometers when fitted with optional satellite communication equipment, according to Rheinmetall.

The Bundeswehr (the German military) has operated LUNA UAV systems since the early 2000s. Those were originally developed by German manufacturer EMT Penzberg, which was acquired by Rheinmetall in 2021.

Berlin has already delivered several reconnaissance UAVs to Ukraine, including 88 Vector UAVs from Quantum Systems, 20 RQ-35 Heidrun systems Sky-Watch, and 32 unspecified reconnaissance UAVs, as of August 9.

Ukraine will also soon receive a series of Cortex Typhon counter-UAV systems made by Norway’s Kongsberg, after the company signed an agreement via the International Fund for Ukraine.

The delivery consists of several Cortex Typhon systems — developed to counter a wide spectrum of UAVs with solutions to either physically harm or disable an aerial threat, Kongsberg said.