Alpha Unmanned Systems, a Madrid-based developer of unmanned tactical helicopter systems, has won a contract from the Spanish Armada to supply a Class I Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (RPAS) for the navy’s Unmanned Vehicle Experimentation Centre (Centro de Experimentación y Vehículos no Tripulados, CEVENTA).
Under the terms of the award, Alpha Unmanned Systems will deliver a system of at least three A900 unmanned helicopters in maritime configuration, each equipped with electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) sensors. The package also includes vessel-based and terrestrial control stations, a flight simulator, Automatic Identification System (AIS) transceiver modules, a logistics support package, and operator and technician training.
“This award is the product of a close, longstanding collaboration with the Armada, built through years of working side by side at sea, from REPMUS and Dynamic Messenger to our recent manned-unmanned teaming trials with Airbus Helicopters España aboard the BAM Rayo,” said Eric Freeman, CEO of Alpha Unmanned Systems. “We’re honored by the trust the Armada has placed in the A900, and excited to demonstrate, in operational service with CEVENTA, the real capabilities unmanned systems bring to sovereign maritime defense.”
The selected system draws on the unique capabilities of Alpha’s A900 platform and is designed to perform reconnaissance and surveillance missions. The platform integrates a range of payloads, including EO/IR sensors, while maintaining a maximum take-off weight under 25 kilograms, an endurance of more than four hours, and an operational radius of up to 60 kilometers.
An Established Track Record with the Armada
This award builds on several years of operational collaboration between Alpha Unmanned Systems and the Armada. The A900 platform has deployed aboard Spanish Armada Offshore Patrol Vessels (BAMs) on three separate occasions, including participation in major NATO naval exercises.
During REPMUS 2022, Alpha’s UAVs operated from Spanish naval patrol vessels and integrated into the shore-based command-and-control node during the NATO robotic experimentation exercise. At Dynamic Messenger in 2023, the A900 integrated into the combat systems of the BAM Furor via Navantia’s Naval Advanced Integrated Autonomous Vehicles Defence (NAIAD) system, demonstrating simultaneous command and control of unmanned aerial and surface vehicles.
In May 2026, Alpha’s A900 helicopter took part in a Manned-Unmanned Teaming (MUM-T) exercise in collaboration with Airbus Helicopters España, operating from the naval patrol vessel Rayo approximately 20 nautical miles off the coast of Cádiz. The exercise marked the second MUM-T cooperation between Alpha and Airbus Helicopters. Representatives of the Naval Air Flotilla, the Guardia Civil, and delegations from several international navies observed the operation.
“The future of maritime air surveillance lies in the interoperability of systems,” said Freeman. “The effective combination of manned and unmanned assets, with platforms like the A900 acting as more versatile, lower-cost force multipliers, enhances situational awareness and reduces risk to crews.”
Be the first to comment