UAS VISION
an independent online news service for the Unmanned Aircraft Systems world
In the Beginning: Die Drohne Antiradar (DAR)
In the mid-1980s, Germany and the United States launched a joint project to develop a specialized, single-use unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) designed to counter Soviet air defence systems. The concept was ambitious: a “fire-and-forget” drone capable of targeting enemy radar, acting as a decoy to draw attention away from manned aircraft, or directly destroying anti-aircraft systems. Continue reading
The K2 Kamikaze Unmanned Aerial Vehicle, developed by Baykar as part of its cost-effective defence strategy, has demonstrated advanced autonomy, artificial intelligence, and formation capabilities in recent testing. Flight trials conducted on March 13–14 involved five K2 aircraft operating together, showcasing coordinated swarm performance. Continue reading
The United States Army conducted a field demonstration of Elbit America’s SlingWorks launched effects system during the CDF CFWE 26 exercise at the U.S. Army Yuma Proving Ground. Continue reading
The U.S. military has used LUCAS kamikaze drones in combat for the first time, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed Saturday. The ground-launched drones were deployed by Task Force Scorpion Strike (TFSS), a unit established in December to “flip the script on Iran,” according to a U.S. official at the time. Continue reading
Russian Geran-2 (Shahed) kamikaze drones are built largely from foreign-made components produced in both Western and Eastern countries, despite sweeping international sanctions on Moscow. That is the conclusion of an investigation by the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP). Continue reading
Rheinmetall has successfully demonstrated its new FV-014 loitering munition system to a potential NATO customer. The live demonstration took place on 18 February 2026 at the National Test Centre for Unmanned Aerial Systems operated by the German Aerospace Centre (DLR) in Cochstedt, Saxony-Anhalt. Continue reading
In 2024, the defence ministers of France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Sweden and the United Kingdom launched the European Long-range Strike Approach (ELSA), a joint initiative to strengthen Europe’s long-range strike capabilities and reinforce NATO’s deterrence and defence posture.
Kratos Defense & Security Solutions and Taiwan’s NCSIST have successfully tested the integrated Mighty Hornet IV attack UAV—an upgraded MQM-178 Firejet target drone—validating the NCSIST payload and mission system without requiring design changes. Continue reading