Madrid: Alpha Unmanned Systems, a Madrid-based developer of unmanned tactical helicopter systems, has been awarded a contract by the Spanish Armada to supply a Class I Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (RPAS) for the Armada’s Unmanned Vehicle Experimentation Centre (Centro de Experimentación y Vehículos no Tripulados, CEVENTA).
Under the terms of the award, Alpha Unmanned Systems will supply a system of at least three A900 unmanned helicopters, in maritime configuration, equipped with electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) sensors. In addition, the system will include vessel-based and terrestrial control stations, a flight simulator, AIS transceiver modules, a logistics support package, 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 honoured 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 defence,” Freeman added.
The selected system, drawing on the unique capabilities of Alpha’s A900 platform, is designed to perform reconnaissance and surveillance missions. The platform will integrate a range of payloads, including EO/IR sensors, while maintaining a maximum take-off weight under 25 kilograms, an endurance of more than 4 hours, and an operational radius of up to 60 kilometres.
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 been 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 were integrated into the shore-based command-and-control node during this NATO robotic experimentation exercise. At Dynamic Messenger in 2023, the A900 was integrated into the combat systems of the BAM “Furor” via Navantia’s NAIAD (Naval Advanced Integrated Autonomous Vehicles Defence) system, demonstrating simultaneous command and control of unmanned aerial and surface vehicles.
In May 2026, Alpha’s A900 helicopter participated 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. The operation was observed by representatives of the Naval Air Flotilla, the Guardia Civil, and delegations from several international navies.
“The future of maritime air surveillance lies in the interoperability of systems,” said Eric Freeman, CEO of Alpha Unmanned Systems. “The effective combination of manned and unmanned assets, with platforms like the A900 acting as more versatile, lower-cost force multipliers, enhancing situational awareness and reducing risk to crews.”
The Unmanned Vehicle Experimentation Centre (CEVENTA) serves as the integrating hub for the Armada’s research, development, and innovation activities related to unmanned systems and emerging technologies with naval applications. The Centre sets the criteria for the acquisition and testing of unmanned systems across national and NATO exercises, evaluating platforms across four domains: underwater (UUV), surface (USV), ground (UGV), and aerial (UAV).
