Airbus introduced a "hunter" for kamikaze drones - the LOAD drone

Dmytro Kazantsev - 27 March, 06:41 PM

At the Unmanned Systems X exhibition in Germany, Airbus presented a concept for a drone countermeasure system called LOAD — Low-cost Air Defence.

According to a report by the online defense magazine Army Recognition, the basis of the system is the DO-DT 25 jet drone, which was used as an aerial target for training air defense and fighter crews.

Information about the DO-DT 25 drone

This drone has a maximum speed of 550 km/h, a length of up to 3.1 meters, a wingspan of 2.5 meters and a maximum take-off weight of up to 144 kg, and can stay in the air for up to 60 minutes. It is launched from a catapult and landed by parachute. LOAD can carry up to three guided missiles, making it suitable for repelling massive attacks by kamikaze drones.

After completing its mission, the LOAD drone returns to base and parachutes down, allowing it to be reused in future operations. This approach provides a low-cost air defense solution that effectively complements existing systems such as IRIS-T, Patriot, or the German NNbS.

In addition to its role in countering kamikaze drones, the LOAD system can also be deployed with reconnaissance platforms such as the Eurodrone. This capability allows it to operate in areas where ground-based radar coverage is incomplete, providing a flexible and adaptive response to aerial threats. The first flight of the LOAD prototype, which will initially be equipped with two guided missiles, is planned for the end of 2025, with operational deployment planned for 2027. The system is designed without American components and is free from ITAR regulations (a large set of regulations governing the export, import and transfer of defense-related goods, defense services and related technical data).

Reference: Airbus is one of the largest aircraft manufacturing companies in the world, formed in the late 1960s through the merger of several European aircraft manufacturers. It manufactures passenger, cargo, and military transport aircraft of the same name. Its headquarters are located in Blagnac, France. Airbus employs about 50,000 people and is concentrated in 4 European countries: France, Germany, Britain, and Spain. Products are assembled at the company's factories in Toulouse and Hamburg.

Recall that recently, Airbus, Dassault Systemes and more than 90 European technology companies and lobby groups appealed to the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen with a call to create a sovereign infrastructure fund to support advanced technologies. In their opinion, recent events in the US and the EU demonstrate the urgent need to strengthen Europe's technological independence. In the letter, the companies emphasize that it is critical to ensure the autonomy of digital infrastructure at all levels - from software and AI to physical components such as chips and computing power.