TDW, an MBDA company, supplied the multi-effect warhead, fuze and safety and arming system. The complete package was integrated into Gambit’s foldable quadcopter airframe through an accelerated development process.
The warhead is fully qualified and already used by NATO forces. “The proof of effectiveness shows that we are able to solve demanding technological challenges in a short time,” TDW Managing Director Andreas Seitz said.
“We are now ready to deliver another powerful and safe warhead system for loitering munitions,” Seitz said. TDW said it had chosen not to use the lower proof requirements available for unmanned systems in this class.
“User safety is not a question of system size for us. That is exactly where our know-how lies: warhead, fuze, and the overall safety assessment come from a single source,” Seitz said. The company’s approach covers the warhead and fuze alongside the safety assessment for the complete system.
Gambit is designed for short-range intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions and precision strikes. Its foldable design allows a soldier to carry one or more systems and deploy them within minutes.
“Gambit delivers maximum operational capability with a minimal logistical footprint,” STARK Chief Technology Officer Johannes Schaback said. “Its foldable design allows a single soldier to carry one or multiple systems, deploy them within minutes and adapt them flexibly to different mission profiles.”
The munition also has a modular extension that allows operators to switch to fibre-optic control in contested electromagnetic environments. STARK said Gambit was developed entirely in Europe and uses a German warhead.
The test built on the companies’ earlier work with Virtus, which they described as Germany’s first live firing of a loitering munition in December last year. STARK and TDW said their modular development approach was designed to support rapid upgrades and large-scale production.
