Rohde & Schwarz and TRUMPF Join Forces for C-UAV Ecosystem
German defense firms Rohde & Schwarz and TRUMPF have announced a strategic collaboration to develop a comprehensive Counter-Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (C-UAV) ecosystem.
Key facts
- Rohde & Schwarz and TRUMPF announced a strategic collaboration on 22 October 2025.
- The focus is on developing a Counter-Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (C-UAV) ecosystem.
- Both companies will integrate their advanced technologies and expertise.
2 minute read
Germany’s defence industry is deepening its technological base for counter-drone warfare as Rohde & Schwarz and TRUMPF form a strategic partnership to create a fully domestic counter-unmanned aerial vehicle (C-UAV) system. Announced on 22 October, the collaboration unites two of the country’s leading industrial technology firms in a move that aligns with Europe’s wider push for sovereign air defence capabilities.
The agreement integrates Rohde & Schwarz’s radar, electromagnetic spectrum, and communications expertise with TRUMPF’s high-energy laser systems, combining detection and neutralisation functions in a single ecosystem. The aim is to produce a scalable, German-made system capable of tracking, targeting, and destroying hostile drones through directed-energy effects, while maintaining strict compliance with defensive-use principles.
Rohde & Schwarz will lead the integration, embedding TRUMPF’s laser technology into its broader C-UAV architecture. Company executives described the project as a milestone for Europe’s strategic autonomy in counter-drone technologies, which have become a growing priority for both NATO and the EU as drone incursions over military and civilian sites rise sharply.
Dr Alexander Orellano, head of Rohde & Schwarz’s Technology Systems division, said the partnership represents “a truly sovereign solution for drone defence” and underlines the need for sustained European investment in this field. TRUMPF’s Dr Hagen Zimer highlighted the firm’s “internally anchored supply chain of system-critical components” as a key strength ensuring resilience against export restrictions and supply disruptions.
The initiative positions Germany to compete more directly in a market dominated by Israeli, American, and South Korean C-UAV solutions. With European states accelerating procurement of both kinetic and directed-energy defences, the Rohde & Schwarz–TRUMPF partnership could mark a step toward a continental framework for layered drone protection that integrates sensors, jammers, and lasers under a single sovereign umbrella.
