Loitering munition in a drone network: Bundeswehr tests reconnaissance and effects live in the Altmark

The German Bundeswehr speaks of an “important milestone for the combat operations of the future” after a test with loitering munition in early December. At the Altmark training area near Hillersleben, in the Army's combat training centre, a “drone-based reconnaissance and strike network, and with it so-called loitering munition, was brought to bear live together” for the first time, according to the Bundeswehr.

According to the Bundeswehr, this was only possible by closely interlinking various technologies based on artificial intelligence.

As a recent press release states, the reconnaissance and strike network in the experiment consisted of several reconnaissance drones, AI-supported command software and so-called loitering munition from different manufacturers. “With this, the Bundeswehr, as one of the first armies worldwide, has begun its entry into the capability to employ unmanned swarm networks.”

The trial was led by the Bundeswehr Planning Office. Closely involved were the newly established Bundeswehr Innovation Centre, the Bundeswehr Research Institute for Materials, Fuels and Lubricants (WIWeB), the Digitalisation Centre and the German Army. More than ten companies took part from industry, among them the German loitering munition manufacturer Stark and the drone manufacturer Quantum Systems.

Uwe Horstmann, CEO of the company, said: “The successful trial is a strong signal and underlines the strategic importance of loitering munition for the Bundeswehr. For us, however, this development is above all proof that the close, trusting partnership between industry and the Bundeswehr is the decisive success factor. Only through this close alliance can we ensure that innovative technologies such as loitering munition are tested by the troops as quickly as possible and continuously developed further, in order to sustainably ensure the operational readiness and protection of our soldiers.”

One software brings drones and loitering munition together

At the centre of the test was the Command & Control Unmanned Management System Bundeswehr (C2-UMS Bw), developed by the Bundeswehr. The software combines different drone types and effectors, together with their respective control software, into a common weapon system.

The Bundeswehr is thus taking first steps in implementing the NATO concept of “Multidomain Operations” (MDO). Land, air, sea, cyber and space are to interact in an orchestrated way in order to overwhelm the adversary and thereby gain an advantage. This requires comprehensive digitalisation of the Bundeswehr, the introduction of future technologies and unmanned systems, as well as artificial intelligence that supports decision-making.

The Bundeswehr considers the experiment a success: it has provided “practical proof of the effective use of loitering munition and laid the foundation for the use of AI-based systems in combat”.