KNDS France Presents MATARIS, First French Range of Loitering Munitions

KNDS France, in partnership with Delair and EOS Technologie, is offering a complete range of Loitering Munitions systems (LMS) comprising four solutions designed to meet various short and medium range operational requirements. Developed in record time, one LMS from the range is already in service in Ukraine, while another is about to enter service within the French armed forces. Based on platforms to be delivered to all three branches of the French military starting June 2025, the medium-range LMS will undergo upgrades by the end of 2025.

The MATARIS range includes four types of remotely operated munitions (short and medium range), each equipped with a warhead specifically developed by KNDS:

MT-10: rotary-wing with a 10 km range

MX-10 DAMOCLES: quadcopter-wing with a 10 km range

MV-25 OSKAR: fixed-wing with a 25 km range

MV-100 VELOCE 330: fixed-wing with a 100 km range

MX-10 DAMOCLES is entering in service in the French Army. Developed, qualified (in terms of safety), and produced in 12 months in response to the LMS Short-range program of the French MoD, the MX-10 DAMOCLES will enter in service in July 2025. Its quadcopter wing is manufactured by DELAIR, a leading French and European military drone company. The fragmentation-incendiary warhead is produced by KNDS Ammo France. The MX-10 can neutralize infantry groups, unarmoured vehicles, and even light armoured vehicles. With this development, KNDS and DELAIR are poised to begin mass production of short-range LMS, becoming France’s primary supplier of short-range remotely operated munitions.

Developed in two years, MV-25 OSKAR is operational in Ukraine. Selected under the COLIBRI project launched by the French Defence Innovation Agency (AID) in 2022, the MV-25 OSKAR was test-flown with a live warhead in June 2024. Excellent feedback from the Ukrainian armed forces and the French Army’s adoption of the MX-10 DAMOCLES establish KNDS and DELAIR as major players in this new MTO segment.

To target medium and long-range threats, KNDS partnered with EOS Technologie, a recognised drone manufacturer. The VELOCE 330 platform from EOS offers a 100 km range, speeds over 400 km/h (thanks to a turbine), and an aerodynamic efficiency of 30. KNDS Ammo France developed a 2.5kg anti-armour warhead, based on the BONUS shell technology. This MTO is capable of neutralizing high-value armoured targets. An operational detonation test is scheduled before the end of 2025.

Easy to use, highly secure (thanks to KNDS’s electronic arming safety device), and capable of engaging a wide variety of targets, MATARIS represents the latest advancement in remotely operated munitions from KNDS.