Reconnaissance drone integrated into Bundeswehr network during test
NewsJanuary 29, 2026
ALTENSTADT, Germany. Rheinmetall says it participated in a Bundeswehr exercise at the service’s Army Combat Training Centre in Saxony-Anhalt, using its LUNA NG uncrewed aerial system (UAS) for reconnaissance and networked operations, the company announced in a statement.
The event focused on linking reconnaissance and operational networks from target detection through engagement using unmanned assets, including drones and loitering munitions, according to the statement. Within the Bundeswehr, LUNA NG is fielded under the Highly Efficient Unmanned System for Medium-Range Reconnaissance (HUSAR) effort, the company says.
During the test period, Rheinmetall integrated LUNA NG with the Bundeswehr’s Command & Control Unmanned Management System (C2-UMS Bw) so it could operate in a shared unmanned management network alongside other drones and loitering munitions, the statement reads. Rheinmetall lists system attributes including more than 12 hours of endurance and a maximum altitude of 5,000 meters.
Rheinmetall says connected users received area status updates, high-resolution target data, and real-time sensor feeds to support a common operational picture for ground units.
