A loitering munition, developed by EOS Technologie, soared to a top speed of 400 km/h during recent testing.
The achievement was made in the framework of the LARINAE program, a joint effort by the Agence de l’Innovation de Défense (AID) and the Direction générale de l’armement (DGA).
The LARINAE program seeks to create indigenous medium-range remote-operated ammunition capable of neutralizing armored targets within a 50-kilometer (about 30-mile) radius and sustaining flight for over 60 minutes.
The AID announced having selected two projects among 16 proposals. One is led by Nexter Arrowtech [now KNDS Ammo France—ed. note], EOS Technologie, and TRAAK, and the other was offered by an MBDA-led consortium.
In July 2023, the European missile maker MBDA unveiled its proposal for the LARINAE program. Called Mutant, the design features deployable wings for uses “requiring compactness and ease of transport and deployment.”
The ‘Veloce 330’
The KNDS-led solution integrates an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) developed by EOS, an explosively formed penetrator (EFP) supplied by KNDS, and a navigation system capable of operating without GPS provided by TRAAK.
On April 26, 2024, footage of the EOS Technologie drone conducting a flight test circulated on social media, prompting a response from the manufacturer.
“The ‘Veloce 330,’ a 100% jet loitering munition crafted entirely in France, has completed its third phase of test flights,” EOS Technologie commented in a statement. “With speeds exceeding 400 kilometers per hour [250 miles per hour] and covering 50 kilometers [30 miles] in just 16 minutes with half a fuel tank, our aerodynamic design and manufacturing processes stand validated for this French-made mini-Shahed 238.”
The Shahed 238 is an Iranian loitering munition powered by a turbojet engine with a reported top speed of up to 500 kilometers per hour (310 miles per hour).
It was first revealed to the public in November 2023 and is considered an upgrade to the Shahed 136. The latter, also known as Geran-2 in Russia, has been widely used to target civilian infrastructure during the recent invasion of Ukraine.
Hundreds of Shahed 136/238 were also used during Iran’s attack on Israel on April 14, 2024.
