The German armed forces are preparing to develop long-range combat drones capable of striking targets deep in enemy territory, the Handelsblatt newspaper reported on Monday.
Three consortia are working on concrete concepts after the Luftwaffe airforce sent a request for deep-strike drones to leading defense companies and startups, the report said.
According to the report, Airbus Defence is contributing to the project alongside U.S. startup Kratos, while Germany's Rheinmetall RHMG.DE has teamed up with drone specialist Anduril. Munich-based startup Helsing is also involved, the report said.
The German defense ministry confirmed preparations for such a project to Handelsblatt, saying that initial talks had taken place but that no formal tender had been issued.
According to the German trade newsite Boltwise, Airbus and Kratos aim to adapt the XQ-58A Valkyrie project to meet the needs of the Bundeswehr Air Force. The tactical UAS has been flying since 2019 and according to Kratos is capable of long-range flights at high-subsonic speeds. The UAS can conducts single UAS operations or operate in swarms and can be pre-deployed and operated remotely, without requiring runway or airfield operations
"Combined with its affordability, survivability, long range, high-subsonic speeds, maneuverability, and ability to carry flexible mission kit configurations and a mix of lethal weapons from its internal bomb bay and wing stations, the XQ-58A provides extreme flexibility for the multiple Department of Defense customers that have it under contract today," the company website says.
Boltwise added that the Bundeswehr plans to add the first of these drones to its arsenal by 2029.
The ministry and the companies mentioned did not respond to emailed requests for comment from Reuters.
Anna Ahronheim contributed to this report