Rheinmetall has created a smoke system to protect equipment from drones

According to EDR Magazine, the German company Rheinmetall has developed a new ROSY VL smoke grenade launcher system capable of protecting equipment from attack drones. The system was presented at the Rheinmetall Mobility Days 2025 event in Vienna.

ROSY VL is a vertical version of the previous ROSY system, consisting of ten launchers that form a pyramidal smoke screen structure. There are 3 variants of the installations - 1M, 2M and 3M - which differ in the number of modules that can be integrated into the system. Each module is designed to accommodate five 40 mm smoke grenades, allowing you to adapt the configuration to specific equipment or mission needs.

When threatened from the sky, the system releases grenades to a height of about 25 meters above the vehicle. This smoke screen in the visual and infrared ranges disrupts the drones' guidance, allowing the vehicle to change position.

The grenades contain 140 grams of red phosphorus and are activated half a second after launch. A full curtain forms in 1.5 seconds and lasts for over 20 seconds.

The system is integrated via a manual control unit that can simultaneously control four launchers. ROSY VL supports automatic triggering by connecting to threat sensors, and can also be mounted on equipment either permanently or via a removable mount.

Rheinmetall's new development was a response to the increasing threat from the air, in particular attacks from the upper hemisphere, where traditional defenses are less effective.