The German branch of the defense corporation MBDA has revealed a conceptual image for its new missile weapon system designated RCM².
This project aims to create a unique "hybrid" of a cruise missile and a drone, making it a sort of equivalent to the "Palyanytsia." However, there are currently no specific timelines for the project's implementation; it is likely that this development will be fully completed in the 2030s. This information was reported by the portal The War Zone.
As noted by the publication's authors, the designation RCM² stands for Remote Carrier Multidomain Multirole Effector, with the first presentation of this project taking place during the ILA aerospace exhibition held in Berlin in the summer of 2024.
It is known that RCM² will feature a fuselage length of 3.96 meters, a launch weight of 340 kilograms without a booster, and an estimated flight range of approximately 500 kilometers.
Moreover, it is expected that the RCM² drone missile will be controlled in flight by one or several operators "in the chain," and the modular design will allow for the installation of either a warhead with explosives or a compartment with equipment for reconnaissance or electronic warfare.
In addition to operator control, RCM² is anticipated to employ a combined navigation system, which will include TERCOM, GPS navigation sensors, an inertial guidance system, and an infrared homing system. It is also expected that RCM² will be capable of loitering in a designated area to "hunt" moving targets.
Furthermore, it is planned that RCM² can be launched from various types of platforms, including the A400M transport aircraft, the Mk 41 vertical launch system on German Navy ships, and the M270 MLRS.
At the same time, there are still two open questions regarding this quite intriguing development. The first is the development timeline, which is currently indicated at a general level with the phrase "will be completed sooner than the FEANIX project from Diehl Defense, which is scheduled for completion in the 2040s."
In other words, it is assumed that the RCM² development will take several years and will be finished sometime in the 2030s, although considering the level of threat from Russia, such weaponry is clearly needed "yesterday."
And the second open question is the "effectiveness/cost" ratio expected in the case of the RCM² project.
Earlier, Defense Express reported that the United Kingdom is ordering the development of its own "Palyanytsia": long-range, affordable, and mass-produced weapon under the Brakestop project.