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Serbia Unveils Goshawk Long-Range Cruise Missile for Precision Deep Strike at World Defense Show 2026.
Serbian firm GPTS, partnered with EDePro, unveiled the Goshawk cruise missile system at World Defense Show 2026 in Riyadh, presenting it as an autonomous loitering munition for long-range precision strikes. The system signals Serbia’s push to expand its footprint in the global market for compact, land-based deep strike capabilities.
On 8 February 2026, during World Defense Show 2026 in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Serbian company GPTS, in partnership with EDePro, unveiled the new Goshawk cruise missile system, an autonomous loitering munition designed for long-range precision engagement. The show, which brings together the global defense industry and military decision-makers across all domains, provided a high-visibility platform for Serbia’s growing missile and propulsion sector. Army Recognition Group, reporting from the event, highlighted the Goshawk as a new element in Serbia’s offer of land-based precision strike systems at a time when armed forces worldwide are seeking compact, cost-effective solutions for deep fires and high-value target engagement.
Serbia unveiled the Goshawk cruise missile system at World Defense Show 2026 in Riyadh, introducing a new long-range autonomous loitering munition aimed at precision land-based strikes (Picture Source: Army Recognition Group)
GPTS and EDePro, working in cooperation with another Serbian partner, Betatehpro, present the Goshawk as a modern loitering munition integrated into a cruise missile system architecture. The weapon is intended to destroy stationary high-value targets at long range while limiting collateral damage. With a length of 2 meters, a wingspan of 1.8 meters and a total mass of 80 kg, it carries a 20 kg warhead, which reflects a compromise between lethality and ease of deployment. The Goshawk reaches a cruising speed of approximately Mach 0.8 and operates at altitudes up to 6,000 meters, with a maximum range of 150 km. Launch is performed using a rocket booster that accelerates the missile from standstill to about 150 m/s, after which it transitions to sustained cruise on its main propulsion unit.
Guidance and navigation rely on a fully autonomous flight profile. In its baseline configuration, the Goshawk uses an Inertial Navigation System (INS) coupled with Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) signals for mid-course guidance, allowing pre-planned routes and waypoints to be programmed before launch. An advanced version is envisaged with Terrain Contour Matching (TERCOM), enabling the missile to compare onboard terrain data with the actual ground profile and maintain accurate navigation in environments where satellite signals are degraded or denied. An assisted inertial navigation solution is also indicated, designed to preserve sufficient positioning accuracy in jamming conditions or areas with poor GNSS coverage, which is essential for operations in contested electromagnetic environments.
Survivability is further reinforced by the Goshawk’s flight envelope and mission planning options. Its combination of relatively high subsonic speed, medium altitude cruise and programmable trajectories allows it to approach targets from non-standard directions and to bypass known air defense coverage zones where possible. As a loitering munition, the system can remain for a certain time over or near the area of interest before committing to the terminal phase, giving operators more flexibility when dealing with time-sensitive or intermittently exposed targets. The 20 kg warhead, combined with precision guidance, is designed to concentrate effects on specific points such as command nodes, ammunition depots or critical infrastructure segments, reducing the risk of unintended damage in surrounding areas.
From a tactical standpoint, the Goshawk is primarily intended for strikes against fixed high-value targets, including command posts, artillery positions and logistical hubs. Such targets are central to the functioning of modern armed forces and often lie beyond the immediate reach of conventional tube artillery. By offering a range of up to 150 km, Goshawk provides ground forces and joint commanders with a standoff option to disrupt adversary command-and-control, fire support and sustainment systems without exposing their own units to counter-battery fire or forward air defenses. The ability to program complex flight paths and to loiter in the target area means the missile can be launched toward an operational sector and then directed to attack when the desired aim point is positively identified, which is particularly relevant in dense or heavily defended environments.
The system reflects the broader effort by Serbia’s defense industry to position itself in the global market for precision strike solutions. The development of Goshawk adds to an emerging portfolio of guided munitions and propulsion technologies aimed at customers seeking alternatives to traditional suppliers. At the same World Defense Show, Army Recognition Group had previously reported on the debut of the Serbian EDePro A50 Precision Guided Surface-to-Surface Missile, illustrating how Serbian companies are now covering multiple segments of the land-attack spectrum, from tactical rockets to longer-range cruise-type systems. For potential export customers in the Gulf region and beyond, Goshawk offers an additional option for land-based precision fires that can complement air-delivered munitions, be integrated into dispersed launcher concepts and support layered strike doctrines alongside artillery and rocket systems.
The unveiling of the Goshawk cruise missile system at World Defense Show 2026 underscores how mid-sized defense industries are moving into the field of long-range precision effects with solutions designed for contested, information-rich battlefields. By combining a loitering munition concept with a 150 km reach, a cruising speed close to Mach 0.8, resilient autonomous navigation and a warhead tailored for high-value but localized targets, GPTS and its Serbian partners aim to provide armed forces with a tool for precise, standoff engagements that limits exposure of crews and high-value platforms. As planning for future land and joint operations increasingly revolves around the ability to neutralize critical nodes deep in enemy territory, systems in the Goshawk’s class are likely to attract sustained attention from defense planners and procurement authorities seeking flexible and scalable solutions for long-range precision strike.
Written by Teoman S. Nicanci – Defense Analyst, Army Recognition Group
Teoman S. Nicanci holds degrees in Political Science, Comparative and International Politics, and International Relations and Diplomacy from leading Belgian universities, with research focused on Russian strategic behavior, defense technology, and modern warfare. He is a defense analyst at Army Recognition, specializing in the global defense industry, military armament, and emerging defense technologies.