ILA Berlin 24: RHEINMETALL's LUNA

The operational experiences from the Ukrainian war show the crucial role that real-time reconnaissance results play in operations management. The LUNA NG (Airborne Unmanned Close Reconnaissance Equipment - Next Generation) was specifically developed for this purpose. Rheinmetall will present this innovative system at its Stand Dis G / 006 at ILA 2024.

In September 2023, Rheinmetall was awarded the contract to deliver the airborne reconnaissance system LUNA NG to the German Armed Forces. It will be introduced by the German military as HUSAR. A total of twelve serial systems and one pilot system were ordered. The first serial system is expected to be delivered in the second quarter of 2025. It is one of the newest systems for unmanned airborne reconnaissance, classification, and object detection.

Thanks to its aerodynamic, ultralight, and highly stable design, the LUNA NG easily handles twelve-hour missions. Rheinmetall presents the drone at ILA with its upgrade options for target engagement and the capability for "Vertical Take-Off and Landing" (VTOL). The LUNA NG shown at ILA with a glide bomb is one of several possible configurations. The body structure of the drone is made of carbon fiber-reinforced plastic (CFRP). In addition to a long flight time, it offers a data link range of up to 150 kilometers. This can be increased to an operational range of about 500 kilometers with optional SatCom equipment. Furthermore, the LUNA NG has a payload capacity of 30kg and two payload compartments. This makes the drone a multi-sensor platform, capable of providing various contributions from reconnaissance to leadership and tactical use with effectors.

RHEINMETALL on the Internet