IDET 2025: Czech LPP Holding develops autonomous suicide drone resistant to electronic warfare systems.

At the IDET 2025 exhibition, the Czech company LPP Holding officially introduced its MTS unmanned aerial system (UAS), which follows the delivery of several hundred units to the Ukrainian Armed Forces. The MTS, a suicide drone, is equipped with an autonomous navigation system powered by artificial intelligence that allows the drone to operate without dependence on GNSS or external communication links. Feedback from Ukrainian operators indicates that the MTS drone remained functional in GPS-denied zones, thanks to a high level of resistance to jamming and spoofing.
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The MTS unmanned aerial system (UAS) has been specifically engineered to overcome challenges posed by electronic warfare, allowing it to perform precise attack missions without requiring mid-flight operator input. (Picture source: Army Recognition)

In Ukraine, multiple unmanned systems have been affected by Russian electronic countermeasures, which disrupt GPS signals and communication links, thereby limiting the effectiveness of conventional drones. The MTS unmanned aerial system (UAS) has been specifically engineered to overcome such challenges, allowing it to perform precise attack missions without requiring mid-flight operator input. All mission planning, including target selection and flight path programming, is performed prior to launch via a specialized ground control station with a 3D interface. Once airborne, the drone executes the mission autonomously, using onboard AI to adapt to the terrain and avoid threats.

The MTS family includes three variants. The MTS-5E is the lightest version, powered by an electric motor, with a maximum takeoff weight (MTOW) of 5.5 kilograms, a payload capacity of 2 kilograms, a flight range of 40 kilometers, a top speed of 160 kilometers per hour, with a wingspan of 1.67 meters. The medium The MTS-25C, powered by a combustion engine, offers a 25 kg MTOW, 6 kg payload, and a 750-kilometer range, while its wingspan reaches 3.32 meters. The largest version, the MTS-40C, also powered by a combustion engine, supports a 40-kilogram MTOW, a 12-kilogram payload, a 1000-kilometer range, and a top speed of 230 kilometers per hour. All versions, deployed from portable, battery-powered launchers, are configured for single-use missions and can carry HEAT, HE-FRAG, and thermobaric fragmentation warheads, depending on the objective.

The deployment of the MTS UAS by the Ukrainian Armed Forces serves as a field validation of its ability to conduct precision strikes without external communication or navigation links, enabling operation in areas where other drones may be disabled or misdirected by electronic warfare systems. Operational within two minutes of setup, this drone gives several advantages to its operators, such as shoot-and-scout tactics and low exposure to enemy detection. The combination of AI-based navigation and onboard target acquisition allows for autonomous strike capabilities against fixed targets, with minimal infrastructure requirements and no need for real-time operator oversight, significantly increasing the degree of mission success.

Beyond the tactical level, the production and fielding of systems such as the MTS serve strategic objectives related to operational autonomy, risk reduction, and technical independence. Autonomous systems can conduct high-risk missions, such as deep-penetration attacks, in contested areas where electronic warfare is widely used. Additionally, systems that do not depend on external communication links reduce human exposure to adversarial countermeasures. The full in-house development by LPP Holding also indicates a national-level approach to maintaining technological sovereignty over key defense capabilities. In conflicts such as the ongoing war in Ukraine, AI-enabled drones have also demonstrated increased accuracy in target engagement, with some systems achieving a success rate of 70-80% in hitting targets, compared to lower rates with human-piloted drones.