Ukraine to receive automated reconnaissance systems from Rheinmetall
NewsMarch 01, 2023
DUSSELDORF, Germany. Rheinmetall will supply Ukraine with automated reconnaissance systems for monitoring large areas of terrain under a new contract, the company announced in a statement.
Along with Estonian company DefSecIntel, Rheinmetall will provide the SurveilSPIRE reconnaissance systems, which consist of mobile surveillance towers and camera equipment, as well as autopiloted mini drones and a control system, the statement reads. The contract is "in the double-digit million-euro range," and delivery has already begun, the company says.
"[T]he SurveilSPIRE surveillance towers can be loaded onto trailers and quickly transported to their area of operation," the statement reads. "Assembly requires three personnel; operation is fully automated. The system includes wireless links (4G and Starlink) for video transmission to a mobile command post. Solar panels enable sustained operation without power cables or a fuel source. The system relies on autopiloted reconnaissance drones that conduct patrols and mission-specific flights. This enables inspection of detected threats and lets the operator initiate necessary countermeasures."
