The French defense innovation agency (AID) has contracted a Nexter-led consortium to develop an anti-armor loitering munition.
An initial demonstration of the medium-range remotely operated weapon will be held at the end of 2024 under the Larinae (Seagull) project.
The EOS Technologies system features Nexter’s core-generating charge technology and TRAAK’s GPS-denied navigation system, ensuring operation in contested airspace.
Expected Features
The munition will have a range of at least 80 kilometers (50 miles) and an autonomy of three hours.
Its core-generating charge technology will be able to defeat a tank’s active defenses and pierce its armor.
The platform’s optronic ball will ensure its intelligence capability, enabling it to detect a vehicle 15 kilometers (9.3 miles) away by day and 3 kilometers (1.9 miles) away at night.
Advanced telemetry will ensure excellent communication with the operator, and the optronic ball will allow constant terrain observation.
The vertical take-off and landing system will be reusable upon missing a target with easy and safe arming and disarming of the warhead.
Demonstration in 18 Months
“Echoing the French President’s address and the speeches by the French Minister for the Armed Forces and the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces, the AID wants France not just to catch up in terms of remotely-delivered munitions, but to be one war ahead,” Nexter stated.
“To this end, the sovereign solution for remotely operated ammunition, entirely manufactured in France by the EOS – Nexter – TRAAK consortium, will take the form of a demonstrator within an unprecedented period of 18 months, in order to test new operating modes.”
