Koblenz, 12 December 2025 – The Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equipment, information Technology and In-Service Support (BAIINBw) and Quantum Systems today signed a contract for the procurement of up to 747 reconnaissance drones to renew the Bundeswehr’s ALADIN system.
Quantum Systems has been awarded the contract for the successor to the ALADIN reconnaissance system (imaging airborne reconnaissance drone for close-range surveillance). The contract underscores Quantum Systems’ role as a key partner in the field of unmanned and intelligent systems.
A fixed order will be placed for 147 systems, including related services. Up to 600 additional systems are provided as options in the framework agreement.
Quantum Systems has guaranteed delivery of at least 250 systems per year, with the possibility of further increasing capacity if necessary.
ALADIN is to be deployed in the army, navy and air force and is one of the Bundeswehr’s main reconnaissance systems.
Martin Karkour, CRO of Quantum Systems, said: “The Twister combines German engineering, AI-based autonomy and battle-tested reliability from Ukraine. I am personally delighted that we have been awarded the contract for the successor to the ALADIN system, as we are now working together with the BAAINBw and the German Armed Forces to turn this turning point into a turning point in action. We at Quantum Systems are very proud to stand shoulder to shoulder with our Bundeswehr and to be able to equip them with a world-leading product. The Bundeswehr is becoming a drone army, thereby responding to the increasing relevance of unmanned systems.”
The Twister system is an electrically powered eVTOL (electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing) sUAS that has been specially developed for tactical reconnaissance missions at squad and platoon level. With a maximum take-off weight of 4 kg, a flight duration of 90 minutes and a range of 15 km, Twister provides real-time aerial reconnaissance.
Thanks to state-of-the-art sensor technology – including an EO/IR gimbal with laser illuminator option and acoustic sensors – Twister enables precise target, effect and position reconnaissance day and night. The system fits into a rucksack, can be set up by one person in a matter of minutes, is virtually inaudible and barely visible at its operating height.
With integrated edge AI on NVIDIA Jetson Orin NX, Twister processes sensor data in real time directly on board. This means that only relevant information is passed on to operators, while scene analysis and target classification are performed autonomously.
Thanks to Quantum Systems’ expertise gained from its deployment in Ukraine, the system remains fully functional even in GNSS-denied and electronically contested environments. Control is provided by Quantum Systems’ MOSAIC UXS mission software, which will ensure interoperability between the ALADIN and FALKE systems, thereby also reducing pilot training time.