On July 20, 2023, Rheinmetall AG announced that it has secured a major contract from Hungary for the Hero Loitering Munitions. The contract is valued at several hundred million euros, and delivery is scheduled to take place between 2024 and 2025.
The Hero Loitering Munitions are part of a family of widely-used effectors manufactured and marketed by Rheinmetall in Europe under a cooperative agreement with UVision Air Ltd. The strategic partnership between Rheinmetall and UVision was established in October 2021 to meet the significantly increased demand for precision-guided munitions. At Eurosatory, the two companies were highlighting possibilities for integrating Hero LM systems into manned and unmanned vehicles.
These weapon systems possess autonomous target engagement capabilities, including reconnaissance and surveillance. They can locate, track, and engage emerging enemy targets with low signatures beyond the line of sight.