Airbus will hang Quantum Systems' drone interceptors on the H145M
A cooperation deal signed at ILA Berlin would turn Airbus military helicopters into airborne launch platforms for counter-drone interceptors, starting with the H145M.
A cooperation deal signed at ILA Berlin would turn Airbus military helicopters into airborne launch platforms for counter-drone interceptors, starting with the H145M.
Airbus Helicopters and Quantum Systems signed a cooperation agreement at ILA Berlin on June 10 to study putting Quantum's counter-drone interceptors on Airbus military helicopters, starting with the multi-role H145M, Airbus announced.
Visitors could already see the concept on the static display. A mockup of the U145, the uncrewed H145 variant Airbus introduced at the show, carried a weapons station with two Quantum Systems interceptor drones, hartpunkt reported. The German outlet wrote that a helicopter used this way serves as a mobile launch platform in the air, so the same number of interceptors covers a larger area than a fixed ground site.
Stefan Thomé, executive vice president for programs at Airbus Helicopters, said the H145M's open system architecture makes it "the ideal launching pad for this joint initiative." Martin Karkour, Quantum Systems' chief revenue officer, described the company as "a deep-tech prime for the unmanned era."
Interesting Engineering noted the agreement carries no production contract, no deployment timeline and no disclosed qualification plan. The same report laid out why the idea exists: small attack drones threaten helicopters most during takeoff, landing and low-altitude flight, and current self-protection suites were built against missiles rather than cheap quadcopters. The H145M flies special operations, medevac and light attack missions for several NATO armies, per Interesting Engineering, so a qualified counter-drone kit would arrive with operators already flying the airframe.
The battlefield and the startup story — free in your inbox every week. No paywall.
Subscribe Free →Quantum Systems built its name on the Vector reconnaissance drone, which Ukrainian forces fly in combat; counter-UAS is a newer line for the Munich company. At the same show it unveiled the Pulse P19, a single-engine counter-drone aircraft hartpunkt says is meant to fly in 2027. Earlier Quantum tie-ups reported by hartpunkt include Rohde & Schwarz on electronic warfare and two joint ventures in Ukraine.
ILA Berlin runs through June 14. The study itself has no published end date, but Quantum's 2027 schedule for the P19 and the U145 mockup on the Airbus stand give the partners two visible markers to hit.
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Airbus and Quantum Systems agree to?
A cooperation agreement signed at ILA Berlin 2026 to jointly explore integrating Quantum Systems' counter-UAS interceptors onto Airbus military helicopters, starting with the H145M, per the Airbus press release.
Is this a procurement contract?
No. Interesting Engineering notes there is no production contract, deployment timeline or disclosed qualification plan; the agreement is an exploratory study.
What is the U145?
An uncrewed version of the H145 helicopter family that Airbus introduced at ILA Berlin. Per hartpunkt, the mockup on display carried a weapons station with two Quantum Systems interceptor drones.
Why launch counter-drone interceptors from a helicopter?
A helicopter acts as a mobile airborne launch platform, so the same number of interceptors can cover a much larger area than fixed ground launchers, hartpunkt reported. Helicopters themselves are also most vulnerable to small drones at low altitude, per Interesting Engineering.
What else did Quantum Systems show at ILA?
The Pulse P19, a new single-engine counter-drone aircraft. hartpunkt reports the company wants it flying by 2027.
AI-generated summary, reviewed by an editor. More on our AI guidelines.
Marcus Schuler
Marcus Schuler edits BattlePolicy, a daily defense-technology brief connecting the companies and capabilities behind modern war to the contest among Europe, the US, Russia, and China.