FEINDEF 2025 | Aertec and Instalaza arm SIRTAP drone with new BAT gliding bomb to increase Spain’s tactical strike autonomy.

At the 2025 edition of the International Defence and Security Exhibition (FEINDEF), held from May 12 to 14 at IFEMA Madrid, Spanish technology company AERTEC formally presented the BAT precision air-to-surface gliding bomb for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Developed in partnership with Zaragoza-based defense firm Instalaza, BAT was unveiled as part of a broader sovereign armament solution, alongside the Fox micromissile, and is currently showcased integrated on a full-scale model of the Airbus SIRTAP tactical UAV.
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The BAT gliding bomb integrates multiple navigation and guidance systems, including an inertial navigation system (INS) and global navigation satellite system (GNSS), with terminal targeting achieved via a SAL (semi-active laser) seeker. (Picture source: Army Recognition)

The BAT gliding bomb was presented at AERTEC’s stand by its CEO Antonio Gómez-Guillamón, Defense Director Pedro Becerra, Instalaza CEO Miguel Muñoz, and Modesto Revuelta, SIRTAP Program Manager at Airbus, who jointly highlighted the effort as a demonstration of Spain’s autonomous industrial capacity in the defense sector. According to company representatives, the BAT was designed to meet current operational requirements for armed drones in contested environments, offering a fully national, scalable, and precise strike capability.

The BAT is a lightweight, semi-active laser-guided gliding bomb tailored for UAV platforms, with a total in-flight weight of 16 kilograms. The munition integrates multiple navigation and guidance systems, including an inertial navigation system (INS) and global navigation satellite system (GNSS), with terminal targeting achieved via a SAL (semi-active laser) seeker. This seeker offers a ±17-degree field of view and a terminal engagement range of 3.2 kilometers (2 miles), allowing precise hits with minimal collateral exposure. Structurally, BAT incorporates foldable wings and aerodynamic control surfaces designed to reduce drag and extend range, while enabling stable flight profiles after deployment from high or low altitudes. BAT’s flight speed ranges between 250 and 750 km/h and it can be launched from platforms flying at speeds above 50 knots. The munition has an operational altitude envelope extending from sea level up to 7,600 meters (25,000 feet), and a maximum range of over 30 kilometers, depending on launch conditions and profile. Flight phases include initial aerodynamic deployment and speed adaptation, followed by GNSS-based waypoint navigation, and finally a laser-guided terminal approach phase maximizing strike precision.

One of the key attributes of BAT is its modular warhead configuration, which allows for the integration of different types of payloads. The system can carry multipurpose, anti-tank, or bunker-buster warheads, depending on mission needs, with these configurations supported by Instalaza’s experience in high-precision warhead development. BAT is also designed to be ITAR-free and compliant with MIL-STD-810, MIL-STD-2105, and MIL-STD-461 standards. Additionally, the munition’s control actuation system, avionics, and GNC (guidance, navigation, and control) suite are all integrated internally, ensuring compatibility with tactical UAVs. AERTEC specifically developed the BAT for use with UAVs like the SIRTAP, enabling four munitions to be mounted simultaneously under its wings. Optional rocket motor propulsion can be added to extend the weapon’s range or enhance its kinematic performance, increasing tactical flexibility during missions. This allows BAT-equipped drones to operate from safe standoff distances while engaging static or moving targets under GPS-defined or laser-designated conditions.

The SIRTAP-BAT pairing is positioned as Spain’s first entirely national UAV strike capability, developed, produced, and integrated domestically. (Picture source: Army Recognition)

The BAT is seen as a major enabler for the SIRTAP program, a tactical UAV developed jointly by Airbus Spain and Colombia’s CIAC since 2017. In December 2023, Spain’s Ministry of Defense confirmed an initial order of 27 SIRTAP units, primarily for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance missions. However, the integration of BAT now adds a precision strike capability to the platform. This evolution reflects a shift in Spanish defense strategy, with greater emphasis on UAV-based offensive systems capable of operating autonomously and in joint environments. According to Airbus officials, the SIRTAP is designed to operate in the harshest of environments, day or night, in rain or maritime settings, with high resistance to thermal extremes from -40°C to +50°C. The UAV offers a flight endurance exceeding 20 hours, a top speed over 200 km/h, and a service ceiling of 6,400 meters. With a payload capacity of 150 kilograms and a maximum takeoff weight of 750 kilograms, the drone can take off from unprepared runways as short as 800 meters, supporting expeditionary operations in remote areas.

The BAT is not the first munition developed by AERTEC and Instalaza for tactical UAVs. During the previous FEINDEF edition, both companies presented the Tarsis-W drone equipped with the Fox micromissile, a compact strike weapon jointly developed with the Instituto Nacional de Técnica Aeroespacial (INTA), a branch of the Ministry of Defense. The Fox missile weighs just 3 kilograms, has a length of 1 meter, and a 50mm caliber. Its 500-gram high-explosive warhead is effective against lightly protected targets, including soft-skinned vehicles and dismounted infantry. Each Tarsis drone can carry up to four Fox micromissiles, two under each wing, with a maximum range of 4 kilometers. According to AERTEC’s commercial development director Rafael Márquez, the program is part of a broader effort by the Dirección General de Armamento y Material (DGAM) to develop attack-capable drones with national technology and to reduce Spain’s dependency on foreign platforms.

This push for national capability is also seen in the context of Spain’s current UAV inventory, which is dominated by foreign systems. The Spanish Army operates Israeli-made Searcher drones, while the Air and Space Force employs American MQ-9A Predators armed with Hellfire missiles and equipped with advanced SIGINT payloads. In this environment, the SIRTAP-BAT pairing is positioned as Spain’s first entirely national UAV strike capability, developed, produced, and integrated domestically. Airbus officials, including Modesto Revuelta, have emphasized the export potential of the armed SIRTAP, which they hope will find a market in other allied countries. Revuelta stated that this new strike configuration is not only a technological milestone but also a commercial opportunity to position Spain as a defense exporter of high-end UAV systems.

The BAT incorporates foldable wings and aerodynamic control surfaces designed to reduce drag and extend range, while enabling stable flight profiles after deployment from high or low altitudes. (Picture source: Army Recognition)