Rheinmetall LUNA NG drone approved
Germany's military aviation authority has granted provisional airworthiness certification to the Rheinmetall LUNA NG unmanned reconnaissance system
Germany's Luftfahrtamt der Bundeswehr (LufABw) has issued a provisional airworthiness certificate for the Rheinmetall LUNA NG unmanned reconnaissance system. This interim approval allows the German military to conduct its own flight operations for training and testing purposes.
Rheinmetall states that the majority of criteria for full type certification have been met, with the final process still ongoing. The company confirmed that the first German military pilots and verifiers have already completed training on the new system.
Certification follows extensive civil testing
Before receiving military approval, the LUNA NG system completed approximately 150 sorties under civil operating licenses. These flights totaled roughly 200 hours of operation.
Mike Schmidt, CEO of Rheinmetall's Air Unmanned Space unit, explained that the certification process applied the same stringent standards used for large aircraft like the Airbus A320. He noted that safety-critical components, including the autopilot and navigation systems, had to be developed and certified in-house due to a lack of certified equivalents for tactical drones.
According to Rheinmetall, this approval enables the LUNA NG to operate in regular, restricted airspace while meeting civil safety standards. The company suggests this compliance could eventually permit regular operations over densely populated areas in Europe.
Bundeswehr HUSAR program details
The Bundeswehr is acquiring the drone under the designation HUSAR. Rheinmetall assumed control of the program after the original manufacturer, EMT, became insolvent.
A contract amendment signed on September 28, 2023, covers the procurement of 13 systems for approximately 200 million euros. The order includes 12 production systems and one pilot system.
Each complete HUSAR system comprises multiple components, as detailed in the table below.
| Component | Quantity per System |
|---|---|
| Aircraft | 5 |
| Ground Control Systems | 2 |
| Launcher Vehicles | 2 |
| Antenna Masts | 2 |
| Repair Shop | 1 |
| Transport Platforms | 3 |
System performance and delivery timeline
Rheinmetall provides the following performance specifications for the aircraft: a maximum takeoff weight of 110 kilograms, a service ceiling of 5,000 meters, and an endurance exceeding 12 hours. The first production system was initially scheduled for delivery in the second quarter of 2025, though Rheinmetall's recent certification announcement did not provide an updated timeline.
In a separate agreement from August 2023, Rheinmetall also committed to supplying LUNA NG systems to Ukraine. The company valued that deal in the low double-digit million-euro range.
