Eurosatory 2026: GDELS and Thales combine proven tech to create reduced-risk CUAS

France’s Thales has thrown its hat into the mobile rapid counter-uncrewed aerial system (CUAS) ring with a vehicle agnostic offering combining sensor, weapons and C2 system, while General Dynamics European Land Systems (GDELS) has also joined the crowded field of companies showing CUAS capabilities with its proven Eagle 6x6 uncrewed ground vehicle (UGV).

The Thales system was unveiled at Eurosatory 2026 alongside the 4 Troop uncrewed aerial system (UAS) which is designed to allow transport, control and deployment of smaller drones from small civilian vehicles.

RapidStriker is designed to be deployed on a 10-15t vehicle, such as the company’s own Bushmaster medium protected vehicle, and provide protection and fire support in the 1-5km range with a major effector being laser-guided rockets (LGR).

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As displayed at the exhibition, it is fitted with a Robin 3D Iris CUAS radar, electro-optic and infrared sensors, and Thales Eclipse electronic warfare system as well as a Thales Buthus 70mm induction rocket system.

Major effectors on the displayed system were the LGR 68mm laser-guided multidomain CUAS rocket and the Thales LGR FZ275 70mm LGR, as well as a turret with sensors and a small calibre machine gun.

More generally, it is designed to be able to integrate any NATO interoperable subsystem including designators, radars, effectors and C2 systems and act within 40sec from detection to engagement.

The modular two-launcher system is designed to support both LGR for precision strike and unguided rockets for saturation strike, with the latter distributing fragments to support anti-swarming operations.

Julien Assoun, Thales VP of vehicles and tactical systems, said: “The weapon management system allows the fusion of data between multiple sensors and the critical functions to engage [threats].

“This dramatically shortens the decision cycle from detection to engagement and to neutralisation [in as little as] a few seconds.

“We approach it as a system with a modular architecture as the threat will keep evolving and we will keep evolving the combination of effectors. This agility means the capacity to integrate is there, because you have the C2 capability.

“The sensors, system and weapons are mature and the goal is to test and demonstrate it by the end [of 2026] full-speed production in 2027].”

New multi-role civilian vehicle: the 4 Troop

The company also unveiled a prototype of 4 Troop which consists of an integrated UAS, sensors, hybrid secure communications solutions and AI-enabled decision aids. It was displayed at the show integrated with a Renault 4x4 VCMR (Véhicule Civil Multi-Rôles or Multi-Role Civil Vehicle) with a hybrid drivetrain but is designed to allow integration into sport utility vehicles and utility vehicles.

The 4 Troop system is designed to deliver distributed power and data, creating a capability to call for fires and supporting hybrid network communications. It will also operate UASs, both free-flying and tethered, with the latter providing endurance reconnaissance from height or as a high communications mast.

The RapidStriker and 4 Troop are described as an integration of mature technologies, weapons and systems, offering a lower risk development that taps into proven capabilities; an approach used by several companies at Eurosatory.

GDELS serves up crewed-uncrewed teaming

As another example of this, GDELS promoted crewed-uncrewed teaming (CUC-T) solutions at the exhibition, cooperating with Alpha Robotics to bring together the Eagle 6x6 vehicle control unit and Alpha Robotics Wolf C1 and Wolf G1 UGVs.

The Wolf G1 was displayed with a stabilised 7.62mm weapon station, Valhalla Loki, and the Wolf C1 with a semi-stationary 7.62mm weapon station and sensor suite designed for continuous surveillance and perimeter defence. In the operational scenario these could be controlled along with UAVs as part of a multi-layered system by operators in the Eagle vehicle.

The Eagle vehicle displayed was fitted at the roofline with cannisters of nets which can be fired for last-ditch CUAS efforts for ranges as short as 5m.

Another new GDELS CUAS system displayed was the Pandur ground-based air defence (GBAD) in a new layered air defence configuration featuring a Valhalla Mangart 25 turret with autocannon/missile launcher and a multi-sensor suite. It is also fitted with the Cilas HELMA-P (High Energy Laser for Multiple Applications-P) high-energy laser weapon for small targets at close ranges.

Using GDELS’ electronic architecture – NEVA – it is also designed to be integrated into a CUC-T network of uncrewed sensors and effectors.

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