On Wednesday, April 22, 2026, German group Rheinmetall AG announced that it had signed a multibillion-euro framework agreement with the Bundeswehr procurement agency BAAINBw (the Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology and In-Service Support) under Germany’s Federal Ministry of Defense, for the supply of FV-014 loitering munitions.
Images: Rheinmetall AG
At the same time, an initial call-off contract worth around 300 million EUR was also signed. The agreement was signed today in Koblenz. Deliveries are expected to begin in the first half of 2027, following qualification tests in the second quarter of 2026. The framework agreement includes options for a five-digit number of FV-014 autonomous reconnaissance and strike drones.
“Within a very short time, Rheinmetall has developed an autonomous drone that combines reconnaissance and strike capabilities. The FV-014 will enable the Bundeswehr to protect its own forces and engage critical targets in a fast, controlled and effective manner. We are grateful for the trust placed in us and will begin producing the system in large quantities on an industrial scale very soon,” said Armin Papperger, CEO of Rheinmetall AG.
Earlier, on February 18 this year, the German group successfully demonstrated its new FV-014 loitering munition system to a potential NATO customer at the National Test Center for Unmanned Aircraft Systems of the German Aerospace Center (DLR) in Cochstedt, Saxony-Anhalt.
The FV-014 loitering munition system is designed to operate at distances of up to 100 km, including a 60 km data-link range, for 70 minutes. The system combines high effectiveness against armored and soft targets with state-of-the-art sensor technology, network-centric capabilities, and the ability to operate in environments affected by heavy GPS/GNSS satellite navigation jamming.
The FV-014 has been designed as a multirole reconnaissance and strike system, described by the manufacturer as an LMS, or Long-Intelligence Management System. It is intended to support ground or naval units in engaging high-value point targets, such as combat vehicles, artillery positions, and command vehicles, at long ranges beyond the operator’s line of sight.
The system is launched from a transport and launch container using a rocket motor, but it can also be deployed from a multipurpose launcher. After launch, the FV-014 deploys its folding wings and transitions to level flight, carrying out observation, target selection, and attack initiation.
The FV-014 was originally designed as a man-portable system and is controlled via an easy-to-use ground control station that provides constant human-in-the-loop control. The operator can identify targets, fly toward them, conduct a precision strike, or abort the mission if conditions change.
The FV-014 airframe is based on a conventional wing design with electric propulsion and a polygonal fuselage structure, reducing signatures and enabling high approach speeds in the target area. The system is optimized for low acoustic and thermal signatures and can also be used in scenarios involving enemy electronic warfare.
The FV-014 has a launch weight, including the booster, of around 20 kg. Of this, the payload accounts for 6 kg, including a 5 kg multipurpose high-explosive dual-purpose (HEDP) anti-armor/fragmentation warhead capable of penetrating around 600 mm of rolled homogeneous armor (RHA), while also being effective against unarmored targets and infrastructure. It can operate as part of a swarm.
In the unmanned systems segment, Rheinmetall AG produces, among other systems, LUNA NG reconnaissance UAVs in Penzberg and, in cooperation with Israel’s UVision Air Ltd., Hero-30, Hero-120, and Hero-400 loitering munitions at the Italian facilities of RWM Italia S.p.A. Rheinmetall also cooperates with other well-known companies in the sector, including Lockheed Martin, Anduril Industries, and Auterion.
Major #order worth billions: #Rheinmetall to supply the #Bundeswehr with #FV014 #loiteringmunition https://t.co/Bsvaw8ro8L pic.twitter.com/IS0Z1iFjgo
— Rheinmetall (@RheinmetallAG) April 22, 2026