The system is intended to complement high-end air defence platforms such as the Patriot and IRIS-T by offering a more cost-effective solution against low-cost, mass-produced drones. Airbus said the concept addresses the growing challenge of expensive intercepts, such as using a €420,000 IRIS-T missile to neutralise a €19,000 drone.
DWT Unbemannte Systeme X has begun today in Bonn 🇩🇪 where Airbus will present its Uncrewed Aerial Systems (UAS), from light-tactical UAS to such as Aliaca and Flexrotor to the large long endurance #Eurodrone.
Also featured: Low-Cost Air Defence based on our Do DT25 aerial target… pic.twitter.com/UEeb3ALbEO
— Airbus Defence (@AirbusDefence) March 25, 2025
LOAD can be launched by catapult, fly up to 100 kilometres, and return to base using a parachute, allowing for multiple reuses. Its design helps fill radar coverage gaps and reduce the cost-per-engagement in high-volume threat environments.
The system’s prototype, armed with two missiles, is expected to have its first flight by the end of 2025, with a final version anticipated by 2027. Airbus has not yet disclosed specifications such as cost, payload details, or missile type.
Although the final LOAD configuration is still under development, its base platform — the Do-DT25 — measures 3.1 metres in length with a wingspan of 2.5 metres and a top speed of 555 kilometres per hour. The system is intended for deployment under operator control from a ground station.
Airbus confirmed that LOAD was developed without any US components, aligning with broader European defence goals to reduce reliance on American technology. The concept was unveiled at the “Unbemannte Systeme X” (Unmanned Systems X) trade show in Germany.
