With 68 countries and 2,600 exhibitors, or 30% more than in 2024, Eurosatory, the world arms fair which is being held until Friday June 19, is a huge success in Villepinte (Seine-Saint-Denis). The intense rearmament, against a backdrop of war in Ukraine and the Middle East, strongly stimulates innovation among manufacturers around the world.
At the end of the morning, this Tuesday, June 16, the stand of the Belgian group John Cockerill, which recently bought the French company Arquus, was always full. We rush to see the “Rampart”. A system built by Naval Group, intended to counter the multiplication of aerial threats, particularly drones. Installed on an Arquus truck, it takes the form of a turret with a futuristic design, capable of carrying different types of weapons: rockets, missiles, grenades, drones or even decoys. “Initially designed for the naval sector, the system can also be deployed on land, for example to protect an air base,” explains Stéphane Meunier, director of operational marketing at Naval Group.
The “Rampart” was tested on the Canjuers military camp (Var). Successfully, according to Julien Assoun, vice-president of Vehicles and Tactical Systems at Thales, the group that designed the radar for this system. “Whatever the configuration, the rocket is capable of reaching its target. It can even neutralize several drones with a single ammunition.” It now remains to confirm its effectiveness in operational conditions, a key step before possible export.
Elistair’s wired drones interest Ukraine
In another hangar, Elistair’s stand attracts attention. Based in Lyon (Rhône), the company designs wired drones. “These systems are mainly used for patrol missions, integrated into boats or land vehicles,” says a company representative. They can operate at an altitude of 60 or 100 meters and also allow static surveillance missions. »
Already tested by the French army and Polish border guards, these systems are also of interest to Ukraine, according to Elistair. Because, in terms of drones, it is towards kyiv that all eyes are turning. The blue and yellow flag has gone from around ten companies in 2025 to nearly 80 this year.
« Shadow », « Spectr », « Kestrel »…
On site, innovations attract the curious, starting with drones capable of being equipped with machine guns. The company OM Defense Systems, based in the United Kingdom and Ukraine, is notably presenting the “Shadow”, capable of carrying up to 15 kg of payload, as well as the “Spectr”, designed as a low-cost target intended to saturate opposing defenses. Another model, the “Kestrel”, still in development, aims for autonomous interception missions and already displays advanced integration with NATO standards, according to a Ukrainian official. On the stand, looks sometimes seem cautious because fears of espionage are very present.
