The LUNA NG (next generation) is Rheinmetall’s latest tactical multipurpose unmanned aerial system, or UAS. It will be on show in the UK for the first time, specifically in the Rheinmetall Combat Drone configuration, a future target engagement system. Its future vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) capability will also feature at DSEI.
The war in Ukraine shows how important providing real-time reconnaissance data is for forces at operational level. LUNA NG is designed primarily to serve as a longrange tactical reconnaissance unmanned air vehicle. It provides realtime data for target acquisition and relevant information for battle damage assessments, combining battlefield experience with state-of-the-art technologies.
Loaded on a Rheinmetall HX truck, LUNA NG is a highly mobile UAS. This tactical drone can remain aloft for 12 hours and has a digital datalink range of up to 150 km, with a SatCom option enabling an unlimited datalink. Furthermore, plans exist for using the platform as a ComRelay station for tactical communication networks. A multipurpose drone, it can carry various payloads weighing over 30kg, making it one of the most flexible systems in its class and able to conduct a wide array of different missions.
Furthermore, thanks to a VTOL kit on display at the Rheinmetall booth, the LUNA NG features a unique potential capability that will reduce its future footprint still further. LUNA NG is also the basic platform for the Rheinmetall Combat Drone. Besides target acquisition and battle damage assessment, the system’s capabilities include target engagement, giving operators a choice of several different types of ammunition.
In August 2023 Rheinmetall’s LUNA NG reconnaissance drone reached another important milestone: it will soon be in action in Ukraine. The system should be ready for delivery in 2023. The LUNA NG system ordered for Ukraine is part of an extensive military aid package initiated by the German government in July 2023.
Now firm, this order is a landmark achievement for Rheinmetall’s UAV programme and the Group’s digitalization strategy. The LUNA NG is an advanced sensor component for networked operations, which significantly increases the effectiveness of the sensor-to-shooter chain. Germany is currently procuring the LUNA NG as its future tactical reconnaissance UAS.