Germany unveils Garmr counter-drone system with 70 km interceptor range and AI targeting.

Diehl Defence presented the Garmr mobile counter-UAV system at Enforce Tac in Nürnberg, introducing AI-supported detection with interceptor drones for layered air defense.

At Enforce Tac 2026 in Nürnberg, the German company Diehl Defence unveiled the Garmr mobile counter-UAV system, which replaces the earlier Kinetic Defence Vehicle (KDV) and integrates AI-supported detection with interceptor drones. The Garmr is a modular mobile air defense system combining machine guns and interceptor drones with engagement ranges extending beyond 70 km depending on configuration. The vehicle supports NATO Class I and Class II drone interception, network integration, and layered defense for both civilian and high-intensity combat environments.
Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link

The Garmr, an AI-supported mobile counter-UAV system, combines 7.62 mm and 12.7 mm machine guns with Cicada and Hornet Block 2 interceptor drones for a layered short- and medium-range air defense beyond 70 km. (Picture source: Army Recognition)

On February 23, 2026, Diehl Defence unveiled the comprehensive relaunch of its mobile counter-UAV system, renaming its earlier Kinetic Defence Vehicle (KDV) as Garmr. The new designation officially marks the transition to a revised configuration that incorporates interceptor drones and AI-supported command functions. The system targets both civilian and military users and is intended for the protection of critical infrastructure such as buildings and events, as well as for employment in high-intensity combat scenarios. The relaunch follows earlier fielding of the KDV and integrates operational experience, expanded interceptor options, and updated software to support detection, tracking, and engagement of unmanned aerial systems across multiple threat categories. 

In Norse mythology, Garmr (or Garm) is a wolf or hound that guards the entrance to Hel, the realm of the dead/the underworld, and the apocalyptic events of Ragnarök, Garmr breaks free from his bonds and fights the god Týr. As a guardian figure positioned at the boundary between worlds, Garmr embodies vigilance, controlled release of force, and the enforcement of limits against intrusion. These attributes align well with the operational concept of Diehl Defence’s system, which is designed to monitor airspace continuously, classify approaching aerial objects, and intercept them before they can penetrate protected zones. The dual capability of the system, combining non-lethal capture through net-equipped interceptors and lethal engagement through fragmentation warheads or machine guns, reflects the mythological balance between containment and decisive action.

By adopting the name Garmr, Diehl Defence associates its latest counter-drone system with the role of a sentinel that detects threats early, signals their presence through sensor networks, and neutralizes them at the boundary of defended airspace, whether in civilian infrastructure protection or in high-intensity military environments. To achieve this mission, the Garmr is configured as a hybrid and modular system capable of parallel employment of two interceptor drone technologies under the designations Garmr SRS (Short Range System) and Garmr MRS (Medium Range System). The SRS variant uses the Cicada interceptor drone, which can carry either a fragmentation warhead or a non-lethal net to capture and bring down a target in a controlled manner, enabling use in sensitive civilian environments.

The MRS variant adds additional interceptor drones to extend the Garmr's engagement range, including solutions capable of targeting hostile drones of NATO Class II below 600 kg at distances exceeding 70 km. Standardized interfaces allow integration and launch of different interceptor drones, including the Diehl-developed Cicada and the Destinus Hornet Block 2, and enable further effector options depending on mission requirements. The vehicle can carry between 10 and 20 interceptor drones, depending on size and configuration, and is operated by a two-person crew consisting of a driver and a system operator. The Garmr's internal architecture integrates an AI-supported detection, identification, and prioritization function that processes radar and electro-optical sensor data to classify and rank aerial contacts.

Diehl's Garmr generates its own local air picture through onboard sensors and can also connect to higher-level air defence networks to receive external target cues, enabling engagement of threats beyond the organic sensor range. Detection coverage spans from small commercial multicopters to larger military systems such as Iranian Shahed and Russian Lancet drones, with identification modules supporting classification prior to engagement. Software evolution enables multiple Garmr MRS vehicles to operate in a coordinated fashion, sharing data and complementing different effector configurations within a networked framework. This architecture reduces manual workload by automating target analysis while retaining operator authorization for weapons release. 

The layered defence concept of the Garmr combines close-range kinetic fire with interceptor drones for an extended reach. In Layer 1, machine guns in 7.62 mm, 12.7 mm, and a planned 20 mm option, provide the engagement within 1,000 meters, with a stabilized firing capability while the vehicle is moving. Earlier KDV configurations used an M134D Minigun in 7.62 x 51 mm with an effective engagement range of 1,000 to 1,200 meters, while a 503D electrically driven machine gun in 12.7 mm x 99 increases engagement distance to 2,000 meters and offers access to a broader ammunition spectrum, including high-explosive projectiles. A stabilized R400 remote weapon station from Electro Optic Systems (EOS) integrates the gun system and incorporates a weather sensor to improve accuracy at longer distances.

Layer 2 employs interceptor drones operating in engagement bands of up to 20 km or 40 km, depending on configuration, with MRS variants extending beyond these ranges when equipped with long-range effectors. The Cicada functions as an electrically powered interceptor designed for NATO Class I and smaller NATO Class II drones, while being integrated into both Diehl's Garmr and the containerized Sky Sphere system. The effector carries a payload of 500 g and can operate with either a fragmentation warhead or a net; in net configuration, it is reusable after replacing the net following landing.

The Cicada launches vertically, uses a hardened up-link and down-link for command guidance, and in the terminal phase relies on a radar seeker for target acquisition. Speed is stated at 200 km/h in the net employment mode, and the nominal range is up to 5 km when relying on onboard sensing, with extended range possible when cued by external sensors. Technology readiness level is cited at TRL 5 to 6, with series maturity targeted for the end of 2026. The carrier vehicle for the Garmr is the Enok AB from ACS Armoured Car Systems GmbH in Friedberg, based on the Mercedes-Benz G-Class 464 series, while earlier Ukrainian deliveries used the 461 series with extended wheelbase and modular box body configuration.

In the Bundeswehr, the 464-based configuration is known as Caracal for airborne forces, with first serial vehicles expected in 2026 and Rheinmetall acting as prime contractor. The vehicle is designed for road and cross-country mobility and for air transport, including internal and external lift by heavy transport helicopters, supporting rapid redeployment. A telescopic mast option integrates additional sensors such as Vision Flex cameras from OpenWorks, EchoGuard radar from Echodyne, and AI software AirScout from Walaris, enabling detection of drones up to 12,000 meters in certain configurations and classification at 550 meters, with automated cueing of the weapon station prior to operator release. 

Diehl's operational experience with the KDV includes the delivery of 16 Kinetic Defence Vehicles to Ukraine, funded by the Federal Republic of Germany, where they were used to protect mobile high-value assets. Test campaigns at the Grafenwoehr military training area on November 27, 2025, also validated automatic detection, tracking, and engagement of small drones and demonstrated interception of fixed-wing targets using a long-range effector. The trials combined radar and electro-optical primary detection with AI automation and secondary effectors to expand coverage against both close-range small drones and higher-flying fixed-wing systems. Delivery timeline for Garmr is six months after order placement, with the schedule influenced by customer-specific software and hardware integration for selected interceptor drones.

Written by Jérôme Brahy

Jérôme Brahy is a defense analyst and documentalist at Army Recognition. He specializes in naval modernization, aviation, drones, armored vehicles, and artillery, with a focus on strategic developments in the United States, China, Ukraine, Russia, Türkiye, and Belgium. His analyses go beyond the facts, providing context, identifying key actors, and explaining why defense news matters on a global scale.