Uvision's CORTEX puts one operator over many loitering munitions
Uvision's new CORTEX software puts one operator in charge of many loitering munitions at once, a bid to own the command layer over the swarm rather than just the munition.
Uvision's new CORTEX software puts one operator in charge of many loitering munitions at once, a bid to own the command layer over the swarm rather than just the munition.
Uvision, the Israeli maker of the Hero loitering munitions, launched a command-layer software called CORTEX in early June, the company said in a release carried by sUAS News and Defence Blog. It puts one operator over many munitions at once, Uvision's bid to own the software that runs the swarm rather than just the warheads in it.
CORTEX pulls feeds from EO/IR payloads, UAVs, radar and RF detectors and routes targets to Uvision's Hero, Viper and Peregrine munitions by type and priority, the company said. The pitch is a shorter sensor-to-shooter cycle and a lighter operator load across air, land and sea, on an open design that ties into outside command systems and third-party sensors. The operator stops flying each platform and supervises a mission instead, per Uvision. "The future battlefield will be defined by speed, scale, and connectivity," Uvision Air chief executive Ran Gozali said in the release.
CORTEX is the packaged version of a pitch already in view. The Jerusalem Post reported in September 2025 that Uvision had unveiled an AI-based operating system to coordinate loitering munitions across classes, pairing the Hero family with SpearUAV's Viper.
The claims carry no combat record and no independent performance figures, so they rest on Uvision's marketing for now. Defence Blog placed the launch at ILA Berlin, though that show runs June 10 to 14 and the company release names no venue, which leaves the setting unconfirmed.
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Subscribe Free →The test is procurement. On a saturated front the bottleneck is operator bandwidth more than munitions, so the vendor that owns the command layer owns the customer past the first sale, provided a military will run its loitering munitions through a manufacturer's software to get there.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Uvision's CORTEX?
CORTEX is a software system Uvision describes as an "active Battle Intelligence and Mission Management" layer that links sensors, decision-making and multiple loitering munitions into one framework, according to the company's announcement carried by sUAS News and Defence Blog.
What does it actually connect?
Per Uvision, CORTEX fuses EO/IR payloads, UAVs, radar and RF detectors and routes targets to its Hero, Viper and Peregrine loitering munitions by target type and mission priority, aiming to shorten the sensor-to-shooter cycle and reduce operator workload across air, land and maritime domains.
Why does this matter for Uvision's business?
It moves the company from making loitering munitions to selling the command layer that runs many of them at once. On a saturated front the bottleneck is operator bandwidth, not munitions, so the firm that owns the command software owns the customer past the first sale.
Has CORTEX been used in combat?
No combat record has been disclosed. The capability claims rest on Uvision's own announcement, and the company has not published independent performance figures.
Was it launched at ILA Berlin?
Defence Blog tied the launch to ILA Berlin, but that trade show runs June 10 to 14 and Uvision's own release does not name the venue, so the venue claim is single-sourced.
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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.