Rheinmetall Italia has commenced full-rate production of the HERO family of loitering munitions at its facility in Rome. This marks a significant milestone in European efforts to domestically produce precision strike drones amid rising demand driven by the Ukraine war and growing NATO interest in expendable unmanned systems.
Background: The HERO Loitering Munition Family
The HERO series is a family of loitering munitions developed by Israeli company UVision and co-produced in Europe under a joint venture with Rheinmetall. These systems combine surveillance and strike capabilities in a single platform—capable of hovering over a target area for extended periods before executing a precision attack. The family includes several variants:
- HERO-30: Man-portable system with a 0.5 kg warhead; ideal for tactical infantry use.
- HERO-120: Medium-range system with anti-tank capability; up to 4.5 kg warhead.
- HERO-400EC: Long-endurance variant with multi-purpose warhead; suitable for higher-value targets.
The HERO systems are electrically powered and feature low acoustic signatures. They are designed to be tube-launched and can be operated from manned or unmanned ground control stations. The munitions offer real-time ISR (intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance) capabilities via EO/IR sensors and data links before transitioning into terminal attack mode.
Production Ramp-Up at Rheinmetall Italia
The full-rate production line inaugurated at Rheinmetall’s Rome facility is focused initially on the HERO-30 variant but is expected to expand to include other models such as the HERO-120 and potentially the larger HERO-400EC depending on customer demand. According to Rheinmetall sources cited in European defense media (e.g., EDR Magazine), the Rome site will serve as both an assembly line and integration hub for European customers.
This move follows earlier low-rate initial production (LRIP) activities that began after Rheinmetall and UVision signed their strategic cooperation agreement in late 2021. Since then, prototypes have undergone testing with several European armed forces—including Germany’s Bundeswehr—under NATO STANAG interoperability frameworks.
European Demand Driven by Ukraine War Lessons
The decision to accelerate domestic production stems directly from operational lessons learned during Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Loitering munitions—ranging from commercial FPV drones to advanced systems like Switchblade or Lancet—have proven highly effective against armor, artillery positions, and command nodes.
NATO countries have taken notice. Germany has already ordered batches of HERO systems under its “Immediate Action Package” (Sofortprogramm) aimed at rapidly filling capability gaps exposed by the Ukraine conflict. Other nations—including Italy, the Netherlands, Hungary, and Lithuania—have reportedly evaluated or expressed interest in acquiring variants tailored for infantry units or mechanized formations.
The ability to produce these systems within Europe offers supply chain resilience while reducing dependency on U.S.- or Israeli-based manufacturing pipelines—a key consideration amid geopolitical tensions and export control concerns.
Tactical Role and Integration Potential
The modular nature of the HERO series allows it to be deployed across multiple echelons—from squad-level tactical teams using portable launchers (HERO-30) to vehicle-mounted configurations integrated into IFVs or MRAPs (HERO-120). The larger variants can also be launched from rotary-wing platforms or naval vessels if required.
Key features enhancing battlefield utility include:
- Abort/re-engage capability: Operators can abort an attack mid-flight if target conditions change.
- Man-in-the-loop control: Ensures compliance with ethical constraints on autonomous weapons use.
- C4ISR compatibility: Systems can be integrated with NATO-standard battle management networks via Link-16 or proprietary interfaces.
- Sensors: EO/IR payloads provide day/night targeting with real-time video feed back to operator terminals.
Ammunition-as-a-Service Model Under Consideration
An emerging trend among NATO procurement agencies is interest in “ammunition-as-a-service” models for expendable drones like loitering munitions. Rheinmetall has reportedly explored such frameworks with several customers—offering not just hardware but also training packages, software updates, fleet management tools, and even contractor-operated mission support cells embedded with frontline units.
This model could enable smaller militaries lacking organic drone units to field high-end capabilities without incurring full lifecycle costs associated with traditional weapon systems procurement. It also aligns with broader trends toward modularity and rapid field adaptation seen across modern military technology programs post-2022.
Outlook: Scaling Up Across Europe
The Rome facility’s ramp-up comes amid broader efforts by Rheinmetall to position itself as a central node in Europe’s defense industrial base post-COVID and post-Russia invasion era. Alongside its armored vehicle programs (e.g., KF41 Lynx), air defense solutions (Skynex), and ammunition lines (155 mm artillery shells), loitering munition production adds another dimension to its portfolio aligned with evolving battlefield needs.
If procurement continues apace—and early feedback from German trials is positive—the company may expand capacity further or license additional sites across Central/Eastern Europe where demand is most acute due to proximity to Russia’s threat axis. Poland has already expressed interest in co-developing similar technologies domestically under offset arrangements tied to broader rearmament plans through the PGZ group.
