IDET 2025: Chaser by Excalibur Lightweight and Modular Loitering Munition for High-Intensity Conflicts.

At the IDET 2025 defense exhibition held in Brno, Czech company Excalibur International presents its new loitering munition system named CHASER. Developed to meet the current demands of the battlefield, the system emphasizes enhanced precision, operational flexibility across multiple platforms, and portability tailored for deployed tactical units. CHASER is designed to deliver accurate strikes while minimizing collateral damage.
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The CHASER cruises at 120 km/h and can reach a dive speed of 160 km/h (Picture source: Army Recognition)

The system incorporates electro-optical sensors combined with intelligent tracking algorithms to achieve a precision of less than one meter. Carried in a reusable launch tube, the munition can be deployed by a single operator in under two minutes. Thanks to its modular architecture, CHASER is compatible with aerial, naval, and ground-based platforms via a Power Take-Off (PTO) launch system, supporting both manual and automatic loading. It is guided through a rugged touchscreen ground control station that integrates with existing Command and Control (C2) systems. This interface allows operators to update mission parameters after launch and authorize autonomous target engagement. The system also features electronic protection measures, including frequency hopping and Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum (DSSS) modulation, to ensure resilience against jamming.

Technically, CHASER cruises at 120 km/h and can reach a dive speed of 160 km/h. It operates at a maximum altitude of 250 meters above ground level and up to 5,000 meters mean sea level. The munition weighs 1.5 kilograms including the warhead, and the full system with launch tube weighs 3.5 kilograms. It can carry various payloads such as a 400-gram multipurpose charge, a 180 mm armor-piercing warhead, anti-personnel effects, or high-explosive types. CHASER has an endurance of more than 10 minutes and a line-of-sight range of 10 kilometers, extendable to over 20 kilometers during loitering flight.

The use of loitering munitions has grown rapidly in recent years across operational theaters, particularly in asymmetric warfare and high-intensity conflict zones. These systems, which combine the reconnaissance function of drones with the strike capability of munitions, enable operators to observe, identify, and engage targets with minimal delay. Their ability to remain airborne over target areas offers a tactical flexibility not achievable with conventional weapons. As such, they are increasingly used for striking mobile systems, targeting high-value assets, and executing area denial missions. Interest in loitering munitions has surged following their widespread use in conflicts such as Nagorno-Karabakh and Ukraine, where they have demonstrated effectiveness against armored vehicles, command posts, and artillery systems.

CHASER aligns with this evolving technological landscape by combining low weight, portability, and precision-strike capability. Comparable to systems like the American Switchblade 300 by AeroVironment or the Warmate by Poland’s WB Group, CHASER distinguishes itself through its modularity and multiplatform compatibility. While the Switchblade 300 is tailored for short-range, anti-personnel missions with special forces, CHASER offers a more adaptable solution with interchangeable warheads, endurance exceeding ten minutes, and an extended range surpassing 20 kilometers. Its ability to operate from land, sea, or air platforms provides a level of flexibility that few other systems in its category currently offer. In a context where information dominance and precision engagement are operational priorities, such systems are gaining strategic importance in modern force structures.

Excalibur International, headquartered in Prague and part of the CSG Aerospace group, aims to strengthen its position in the precision-guided weapons market with the CHASER system. Its presentation at IDET 2025 reflects a broader global trend toward the adoption of autonomous and remotely operated systems, offering armed forces increased responsiveness, accuracy, and adaptability in contemporary conflict environments.