German defense giant Rheinmetall has received an order to supply its FV-014 loitering munition to the German armed forces. The initial contract is valued at approximately €300 million and is part of a broader framework agreement that could involve the supply of these drones worth billions.
In its official statement, Rheinmetall did not disclose the number of drones ordered, but the unit price of the FV-014 was reportedly €120,000. So, the order likely consists of 2,500 units.
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Since the German company has already signaled its readiness to supply the FV-014 to Ukraine, provided the necessary funding is secured, the timeline for the start of serial deliveries to the Bundeswehr is of critical importance. It is noted that deliveries of these strike drones to the German military are scheduled for the first half of 2027. If FV-014s are also ordered for Ukraine, it is possible that the delivery dates for significant batches of these drones could be similar.
The FV-014 kamikaze drone with a takeoff weight of approximately 20 kg, is designed to strike targets at ranges of up to 100 km and can remain airborne for up to 70 minutes. To engage targets, it is equipped with a 4–5 kg high-explosive dual-purpose warhead.
The FV-014 supports swarm operations and allows a single operator to control multiple drones. It is claimed to be capable of operating in the absence of a satellite navigation signal. It is also worth noting the drone's unusual faceted fuselage, which may have been designed to make it less detectable by radar.
The German Armed Forces' procurement of this loitering munition is part of a plan to form six strike drone batteries by 2029. It is planned to arm them not only with the FV-014, but also with at least two other German loitering munitions—the HX-2 from Helsing and the Virtus from STARK. Framework contracts with these companies were also agreed in February this year.
Initially, the funds were to be allocated unevenly, with €3 billion going to STARK and €1.3 billion to Helsing, but the decision was later made to divide them equally. Their prices were also announced: the HX-2, with a range of up to 100 km, costs about 62,500 euros, while the Virtus, with a range of 130 km, costs about 122,000 euros. These drones, like the FV-014, use the same warhead.
It should be noted that the use of HX-2 drones by Ukrainian Forces against russians is no longer a secret. They are being successfully deployed by the Inquisition battalion of the 59th Assault Brigade.
Read more: Ukrainian Wild Hornets Demonstrate 2,000 km Remote Drone Control with Hornet Vision Ctrl
