EOS Defense Systems R400 RWS has been demonstrated as part of a Leonardo DRS CUAS system. (Photo: Leonardo DRS)

EOS looks to improve CUAS capability as further development and deployment continue

Published 22 October 2024 | Shephard Media

EOS Defense Systems, through its Australian and US companies, is looking to expand its CUAS capability as more of its systems are set to enter Ukraine. Its inclusion on a new Leonardo DRS system has also been outlined.

Last year, the company was awarded a contract to supply up to 100 RWS to Ukraine under a deal valued at up to US$80 million with deliveries expected to continue this year.

This month, Leonardo DRS and BlueHalo successfully demonstrated a new CUAS directed energy Stryker vehicle by shooting down UAVs in a live-fire engagement. One of the kinetic effectors used was EOS Defense Systems’ R400 30mm RWS with Northrop Grumman’s XM914 cannon.

The R400 highlighted the company’s move towards a CUAS capability with a focus on the use of it on light vehicles or UGVs. The RWS weighs less than 400kg but can also be used as a marine system for use from boats and ships. With a range of up to 2km, it has mostly been designed for operations against Class 1 and Class 2 UAVs, but double that range in its marine variant.

EOS RWS are being installed on Canadian Defence Force Light Armoured Vehicle III (LAV III) platforms, a version of Stryker being refurbished by Canada’s Armatec for Ukraine. Ongoing negotiations between Armatec and the Canadian government have delayed the programme.

The use of the EOS RWS in Ukraine has demonstrated the system’s capability as an air defence weapon, according to Shawn Baerlocher, CEO of EOS Defense Systems USA.

“One of the things we've seen with those systems being donated into Ukraine was changing how they're actually being employed in that environment,” Baerlocher said.

“From being a ground-to-ground system – what our primary initial RWS was for – we've now modified this and added capabilities to engage in a CUAS mission,” he added. “A lot of that is driven by activities that are happening in Ukraine.”

The EOS RWS can be kitted with a range of guns of different sizes for a CUAS role but the use of softer kill weapons is also being considered.

“We have a weapons cradle and upon that cradle, we can put whatever the customer prefers and right now that has really been focused on a kinetic weapons,” Baerlocher noted.

“EOS has developed a [high-energy laser weapon] but that has not been looked at. We have looked at an electronic warfare jammer for a CUAS side-by-side [with other weapons] and we see that as part of the road ahead.”

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