Eurosatory 2026: Integrated counter-drone solutions take centre stage

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On the second day of Zona Militar’s special coverage from Eurosatory 2026 in Paris, France, an increasingly prominent trend at the defence and armed forces exhibition became clear: integrated counter-unmanned aerial system solutions are central to the development of modern force capabilities.

At a time when drones have become an established threat across every level of combat, the exhibition revealed a marked shift towards architectures that bring together sensors, crewed and uncrewed systems, artificial intelligence and other elements. The industry is clearly moving towards integrated solutions, in which effectiveness no longer rests on a single system but on the combined operation of several.

Hanwha: land capabilities, aerospace ISR and dual military-civilian applications

South Korean company Hanwha Aerospace displayed both its land-based systems and new capabilities aimed at the uncrewed aerial domain. Its key platforms included the K9A2 self-propelled howitzer and the K239 Chunmoo multiple rocket launcher, both incorporated into operational concepts that are becoming increasingly digitalised and network-centric. At the same time, the company presented aerospace ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance) solutions based on satellite platforms equipped with EO and SAR (Synthetic Aperture Radar) sensors. Over the coming years, these will be integrated with an artificial intelligence language developed by the company itself.

Several of these solutions are already operated by the South Korean Armed Forces in the context of the ongoing latent conflict with North Korea. Company representatives noted that the technologies are available for potential customers to employ in other theatres. Hanwha also stresses that these solutions are not limited solely to military use, as they can also be applied in civilian settings, including pollution monitoring, border control and infrastructure surveillance, among others.

Hanwha also expressed interest in the Latin American region, particularly in solutions focused on upgrading and modernising M1113 family armoured vehicles operated by the Argentine Army.

MBDA and Safran: THUNDART, France’s new long-range land-attack capability

One of the most significant announcements in the European precision artillery sector was confirmation that MBDA and Safran Electronics & Defense have entered exclusive negotiations with the French Directorate General of Armaments (DGA) for the THUNDART programme. This future long-range land-attack system is intended to replace the current Lance-Roquettes Unitaire (LRU).

THUNDART is designed as a precision-strike capability with a range of up to 150 km, intended for high-intensity operations and heavily contested environments. Its design seeks to ensure operation under electronic warfare conditions and signal degradation, including jamming scenarios or the loss of GNSS.

Developed entirely in France, the system is intended to guarantee strategic autonomy and freedom of use, while also offering export potential for allied countries.

MARSS and BAE Systems

In the counter-unmanned aerial system segment, MARSS and BAE Systems announced the signing of an agreement under which MARSS will provide the command-and-control system for the BATS (Anti Threat System) programme. The NiDAR platform will serve as the central hub for integrating sensors and effectors, bringing together real-time information to speed up the detection, classification and neutralisation of uncrewed aerial threats.

The agreement reinforces the trend seen at the exhibition and in the solutions proposed by different companies, where C2 is positioned as the central layer of counter-drone systems. Their effectiveness no longer depends only on the quality of sensors and weaponry, but also on the ability to integrate data and coordinate responses efficiently.

You may also be interested in: France opens EUROSATORY 2026, one of the world’s leading Defence and Security exhibitions