Rheinmetall’s AI Mine Clearer and Kamikaze Drone Swarm Debut in Paris, but MGCS Woes Dent the Picture

German defense firm presents autonomous mine clearance, air defense JV with South Korea, and containerized drone launcher; flagship Franco-German tank program pushed to 2040.

On the show floor at Eurosatory 2026 in Paris, Rheinmetall is making a bold bet that unmanned warfare and allied air defence will define the future of conflict. The Düsseldorf-based group paraded an AI-driven mine clearance vehicle, a new drone-launching container system and a joint venture with South Korea’s LIG Defense & Aerospace — all while grappling with growing uncertainty over the flagship Franco-German tank programme.

Unmanned systems took centre stage. The MV-8 KOMODO, developed with DOK.ING and Pearson Engineering, can clear minefields mechanically or with explosives, dramatically reducing risk to troops. Its next upgrade, the PATH A-Kit, will bring autonomous navigation and obstacle avoidance directly onto the battlefield. Alongside it, Rheinmetall presented a new reconnaissance variant of its Lynx vehicle, the KF41 Recce, equipped with an integrated counter-drone system. The Lynx platform is already a commercial success: Ukraine, Italy and Hungary have placed orders.

The group also reinforced its push into air defence. A new joint venture, majority-owned by Rheinmetall, will integrate South Korean medium- and long-range missiles into the German company’s existing platforms. The goal is to produce cost-efficient interceptors for glide bombs and rockets — conventional air-defence missiles can cost over €1 million per shot, whereas the new systems are expected to come in at “a high five-figure sum.” LIG D&A, which generated around €2.5 billion in revenue in 2025, supplies the core technology.

Rheinmetall’s own drone arsenal is also expanding. The Containerized Missile Launcher fits a 20-foot standard container and can fire up to 18 FV-014 kamikaze drones. Each FV-014 has a range of 100 kilometres, a flight endurance of 70 minutes and carries a four-kilogram warhead. Swarm launches are possible, though a human operator retains the final attack decision. Production is slated to begin in the third quarter of 2026 at a former automotive supplier site in Neuss.

Yet not all news from Paris was positive. The long-troubled Main Ground Combat System (MGCS), the planned successor to the Leopard 2 and Leclerc tanks, has been pushed back to 2040. Rheinmetall and KNDS Deutschland are already working informally on an interim “Leopard 3.” Chief executive Armin Papperger has stopped ruling out a French withdrawal from the project — a striking shift for what was once seen as a cornerstone of European defence cooperation.

That uncertainty continues to weigh on the stock. Rheinmetall shares climbed 3% on Tuesday to €1,180.80 after the product unveilings, but remain 26% below their start of the year. The share price had more recently touched €1,142.40, with the relative strength index at 36.3 — nearing oversold territory. The 52-week low of €1,099.80 is less than 4% away. The 200-day moving average is still far below, and a sustained recovery would require a decisive break above the 50-day line near €1,305. For now, the new weapon systems may be in demand, but the charts still demand patience.