The systems will be produced in Italy by RWM Italia with support from UVision Air Ltd, reflecting the companies’ ongoing cooperation in loitering munitions development. The ordered HERO units will include the latest generation of high performance anti tank warheads produced by Rheinmetall.
RWM Italia’s production facility is already manufacturing HERO 30, HERO 120 and HERO 400 systems, each designed for different operational roles. HERO 30 is a small portable system intended for infantry, HERO 120 is a medium sized munition for precision strikes on armoured vehicles and fixed installations, and HERO 400 is suited to medium and long range strikes against fortified positions.
Rheinmetall reports that several NATO customers in Europe have placed similar orders as demand grows for drones and loitering munitions in modern warfare. The company has expanded its portfolio to address both the deployment of these systems and the technologies required to counter them.
Alongside HERO systems, Rheinmetall’s unmanned aerial portfolio includes the LUNA NG reconnaissance drone and other platforms developed with partners such as Lockheed Martin, Anduril and Auterion. The company also provides drone defence capabilities ranging from detection and identification to countermeasures using jammers, cannon based air defence systems such as Skyranger and high energy lasers.
