Defence in the Age of Drones

Recent conflicts have reshaped assumptions about modern warfare. Air superiority and advanced technology alone are no longer sufficient to guarantee dominance in contested environments. The rise of low-cost drones shows that mass, adaptability, and speed can challenge even the most advanced forces.

In this evolving environment, EVPÚ Defence has positioned itself at the forefront of modular, sensor-driven vehicle protection. The Czech company addresses the current need for scalable and affordable C-UAS solutions with three key systems: the GLADIUS MAX and GLADIUS TWIN remote-controlled weapon stations, and the HARPIA C-UAS system.

GLADIUS MAX ensures flexible protection against both aerial and ground-based targets. The system combines data from an integrated radar with an advanced electro-optical sensor suite – including a cooled thermal imager, a high-sensitivity daylight camera, and a laser rangefinder – to provide outstanding situational awareness and early threat detection. Once a threat is detected, GLADIUS MAX can autonomously track it and apply ballistic corrections, leaving the operator only to authorise engagement. The weapon station is designed to carry a 30 x 113 mm automatic cannon compatible with both single-feed and dual-feed ammunition set-ups. In its dual-feed configuration, GLADIUS MAX allows rapid switching between high-explosive proximity-fuzed rounds for aerial targets and standard high-explosive dual-purpose ammunition for ground threats.

Similarly, the GLADIUS TWIN remote-controlled weapon station fuses data from its integrated radar and high-performance electro-optical sight. Its distinguishing feature is a dual 7.62 mm machine-gun configuration, which doubles the probability of hit – an essential advantage when countering drone swarms or engaging multiple targets.

Finally, C-UAS HARPIA is a hard-kill counter-drone solution with elements of AI. The system detects, classifies and tracks aerial threats, autonomously evaluates their trajectories and selects the optimal engagement method, reducing the operator’s workload and reaction time. C-UAS HARPIA can detect and engage multiple threats coming from various directions.

EVPÚ Defence will welcome visitors at Eurosatory, Czech Republic Pavilion, Hall 5A, from 15th – 19th June 2026.

EVPÚ Defence

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