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Azerbaijan’s DEFTECH Presents F-1500 Loitering Munition for Platoon-Level Precision Strike.
Azerbaijani defense company DEFTECH unveiled its F-1500 compact loitering munition at ADEX 2026 in Baku on September 30, giving squad- and platoon-level forces a precision-strike weapon designed for targets beyond direct-fire range. The system combines a 20 km ground-launched reach with an airborne configuration extending engagements to 50 km, widening the strike options available to small tactical units.
The 7 kg F-1500 pairs AI-assisted targeting and autonomous optical tracking with day-and-night operation, in-flight target reassignment, and navigation in GNSS-denied environments. Its ability to launch from a ground catapult or DEFTECH’s DT-001 carrier provides commanders with a flexible strike capability suited to dispersed operations and increasingly contested battlefields.
Azerbaijan’s DEFTECH unveiled its F-1500 tactical loitering munition at ADEX 2026, offering small combat units precision strikes at up to 20 km from the ground and 50 km when launched from the DT-001 carrier (Picture Source: Army Recognition Group)
On September 30, 2026, at the 6th Azerbaijan International Defence Exhibition, ADEX 2026, in Baku, Azerbaijani defense company DEFTECH unveiled its F-1500 compact, catapult-launched tactical loitering munition, developed to place precision-strike capability directly in the hands of squad- and platoon-level units. Army Recognition was on the ground at ADEX 2026, providing exclusive on-site coverage and a close look at the latest defense technologies and weapon systems introduced by Azerbaijani and international manufacturers.
The DEFTECH F-1500 is designed around two deployment configurations, including a ground-launched version and an airborne configuration launched from the company’s DT-001 carrier. According to technical specifications provided by DEFTECH, the munition has a weapon range of 20 km when launched from the ground, while an airborne launch from the DT-001 extends the stated engagement range to up to 50 km. In the airborne configuration, the F-1500 can receive target coordinates from the carrier, autonomously navigate toward the designated target area and engage following operator confirmation.
With a maximum takeoff weight of 7 kg, the F-1500 measures 1 meter in length and has a wingspan of 1.1 meters. Powered by an electric brushless motor, the loitering munition has a stated cruise speed of up to 130 km/h and can reach up to 450 km/h during its terminal dive. DEFTECH lists an endurance of up to 40 minutes and a cruise altitude of up to 3,000 meters. An integrated autopilot is designed to reduce dependence on individual pilot skill during mission execution.
Target acquisition and terminal engagement are supported by IO/EO cameras combined with an embedded AI-based targeting system and autonomous optical tracking. According to DEFTECH, the F-1500 also provides day-and-night targeting, in-flight target reassignment and the capability to operate in GNSS-denied environments. Frequency-hopping communications, battlefield mesh-network integration and coordinated deployment from multiple positions are additional features intended to support operations in contested tactical environments.
Warhead and payload configuration varies according to launch mode. The ground-launched F-1500 is listed with a 1.5 kg warhead/payload allowance and can be equipped with an anti-personnel warhead using a distance fuse or an armor-piercing option. In its airborne-launched configuration from the DT-001, the system is listed with a 3 kg warhead/payload allowance, with armor-piercing or thermobaric options available.
The F-1500 displayed by DEFTECH at ADEX 2026 reflects the Azerbaijani company’s focus on compact unmanned strike systems combining AI-assisted targeting, autonomous navigation and flexible launch architectures. Its ability to operate from ground positions or as part of the DT-001 carrier-based configuration provides squad- and platoon-level formations with a system designed to address both short-range tactical engagements and extended-range airborne strike missions.
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