Rheinmetall has successfully demonstrated its new FV-014 loitering munition system integrated with a modular Containerised Missile Launcher, utilising a vehicle-mounted, hidden-launch architecture that reflects the tactics seen in Ukraine’s 2025 “Operation Spider’s Web”.
The demonstration took place in July 2026 at the National Test Centre for Unmanned Aerial Systems in Cochstedt, Germany, where the system executed stationary and moving launches from a Rheinmetall HX truck.
Go deeper with GlobalData
Discover B2B Marketing That Performs
Combine business intelligence and editorial excellence to reach engaged professionals across 36 leading media platforms.
This system shares strong operational commonalities with the Ukrainian mission through its use of a modular, standard ISO container launcher that can house up to 18 munitions on a standard transport truck.
This architecture formalises the “Trojan horse” logistics of Operation Spider’s Web, which relied on concealing strike drones inside modified cargo truck enclosures to infiltrate target areas undetected.
According to Rheinmetall, the FV-014 performed a variety of simulated attack profiles, fulfilling key operational parameters required in modern conflict environments.
The company stated that the successful test underlines its “expertise in the field of modern loitering munition systems and marks another important milestone in the expansion of its portfolio of unmanned weapons for various ranges.”
The FV-014 loitering munition is designed for mobility and can combine surveillance, target identification, and precision strike in a single platform. It is capable of operating at ranges up to 100km and can function effectively against both armoured and unarmoured targets.
The munition features autonomous navigation technologies intended to maintain resilience against GNSS interference, and includes sensors that enable operation under complex battlefield conditions.
The launch process relies on modular containers, which can be integrated into the Containerised Missile Launcher.
Each 20ft launcher can accommodate up to 18 FV-014 munitions, deployed from either fixed positions or mobile vehicles such as trucks, and potentially naval vessels.
After launch, the FV-014 transitions to a 70-minute flight mode, allowing for extended reconnaissance and operator decision-making.
Operators control the system from a ground station that maintains continuous human oversight over targeting, attack initiation, and mission abort decisions in response to changing conditions.
Rheinmetall lists a launch weight of approximately 22kg and a payload capacity of around six kilograms for the FV-014, which carries a High-Explosive Dual Purpose (HEDP) warhead capable of penetrating over 600mm of armour steel.
The munition is propelled by an electric motor intended to minimise acoustic signature and features design elements to reduce radar and infrared detectability. In addition to individual strikes, it can be used in coordinated swarm attacks to overwhelm enemy defences, according to company details.
Rheinmetall noted that the modular Containerised Missile Launcher platform is based on standard ISO container dimensions and is compatible with existing transport, logistics, and command systems.
The company also highlighted the use of commercial off-the-shelf components and a built-in power supply for long-term, remote operation.
The demonstration follows the launch of the DroneHive platform by Estonian defence company DefSecIntel, which introduces a similar concept.
Unveiled for the first time at the Eurosatory arms fair, DroneHive consists of a 4×4 container grid with launch pods, referred to as “drone hives”, each housing a drone interceptor.
