TYTAN integrates TI-03 Hyperion interceptor on KNDS THeMIS UGV for mobile counter-drone defence.

TYTAN’s TI-03 Hyperion interceptor has been integrated with the THeMIS uncrewed ground vehicle through a KNDS mission module to create a mobile counter-UAS launcher for NATO Class II drone threats. The configuration allows the interceptor package to move independently of a crewed launcher and gives ground formations a way to carry counter-drone effectors with the force rather than keep them tied to a fixed position.

The system combines Milrem Robotics’ tracked THeMIS platform with KNDS’ modular mission architecture and TYTAN Technologies’ TI-03 Hyperion interceptor in a single mobile C-UAS configuration. By placing the interceptor on an uncrewed carrier, the setup enables ground units to reposition the launcher with the formation while keeping personnel physically separated from the effector platform.

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TYTAN TI-03 Hyperion counter-UAS interceptor displayed at DVD 2026 is designed to engage NATO Class II drones at ranges up to 30 km and altitudes up to 5,000 m. (Picture source: Army Recognition)

THeMIS uses two tracked side modules separated by a central bay intended for mission payloads. KNDS exploits this architecture through a system of interchangeable modules covering reconnaissance, logistics, casualty evacuation, route clearance, electronic warfare, C-UAV missions, and effector integration. The modules can weigh up to 650 kg and be replaced in around ten minutes using a crane or forklift, while the interface also provides electrical and electronic connections to the vehicle.

The configuration shown at DVD 2026 uses this bay to carry several TI-03 Hyperion interceptors. According to specifications provided by TYTAN, the interceptor reaches a maximum speed of more than 500 km/h, has a range of 30 km and a ceiling of 5,000 m. Total weight is 7.5 kg with a 0.9 kg payload. Unlike the TI-2 EOS, which relies on kinetic impact for neutralisation, Hyperion uses a fragmentation warhead and is intended for NATO Class II drones.

One of the defining features of the TI-03 is its propulsion architecture. A rocket booster provides the initial acceleration and rapidly carries the interceptor toward the threat area. Separation then occurs in flight before transition to an electrically powered terminal phase. This combination is intended to pair rapid acceleration with an approach phase suited to terminal guidance, when precise target tracking becomes critical to the engagement.

The interception chain begins with ground-based detection followed by rapid launch of the interceptor toward the threat. Hyperion receives data from a ground radar before continuing the engagement autonomously. An AI-assisted thermal camera supports detection and tracking during the terminal phase. TYTAN also states that adaptive guidance enables high-G manoeuvres and that the navigation system is designed to operate in a GNSS-denied environment. The concept shown retains a human in the loop during the engagement sequence.

This open architecture primarily allows the radar to be separated from the effector carrier. Hyperion is designed to work with different sensors, platforms, and command-and-control systems so it can be integrated into a layered air-defence network. The radar, command post and interceptors therefore do not need to be concentrated on the same vehicle. THeMIS can move the interceptor magazine to a separate position while detection and targeting data are supplied by another element of the network. This separation is what gives the THeMIS integration its operational relevance. A robotic launcher can be positioned closer to a likely threat axis, dispersed around a formation, or moved as the tactical situation changes without exposing a crew on the platform itself. The TI-03’s stated 30 km range and 5,000 m ceiling also extend the area that a UGV-mounted module could cover compared with a purely local point-defence role. The vehicle therefore becomes a means of moving effectors within a C-UAS network rather than a complete standalone system.

Milrem Robotics THeMIS UGV, fitted with a KNDS mission module carrying TYTAN TI-03 Hyperion interceptors at DVD 2026, provides a mobile launcher configuration for distributed counter-drone defence. (Picture source: Army Recognition Group)

This approach also allows the system to be considered for direct support of manoeuvre units. A THeMIS equipped with Hyperion could accompany a column of armoured vehicles, a logistics element or a deployed unit and move part of its counter-drone coverage with it. The robotic vehicle would operate alongside crewed platforms while performing a specialised air-defence function. Instead of keeping the launcher in a fixed position, the formation could move its interceptors with the force, shift them toward a likely threat axis or reposition them as the unit changes sector.

In this configuration, THeMIS would not replace a complete air-defence battery. It could instead serve as a forward node carrying interceptors within a wider system whose radars and command elements remain distributed elsewhere. Several UGVs could be spaced around a formation and receive data from the same detection network. As combat vehicles move forward, the launchers could reposition with them and maintain drone coverage without assigning a crewed vehicle to each interceptor magazine. The result would be less a fixed defensive bubble than a C-UAS protection zone able to move with the unit it supports.

This arrangement also becomes relevant when a formation needs to disperse. Physically separated launchers allow interceptors to be distributed along the most exposed threat axes rather than concentrating the entire capability at a single point. A UGV can also be sent to a position where exposure to drones, loitering munitions, or indirect fire would make prolonged deployment of a crew less desirable. The effectiveness of such a system would then depend on the sensor network, C2 communications, the number of available interceptors and the ability to maintain those links in a contested electromagnetic environment.

This approach aligns with KNDS’ broader work on distributed mission systems. The group is developing THeMIS with its mission modules as an open platform able to receive different sensors and effectors and operate alongside crewed systems within digital architectures. KNDS and TYTAN also expanded their cooperation in 2026 around C-UAS solutions for military ground systems, base protection and frontline air defence.

The threat addressed by this architecture is an increasingly contested land environment in which reconnaissance drones, loitering munitions and larger UAS can detect and strike combat vehicles, command posts and logistics elements deep into the tactical area. With a stated range of 30 km, a ceiling of 5,000 m, a speed above 500 km/h and an autonomous terminal phase supported by a thermal camera, the TI-03 Hyperion provides an effector that can move with the force rather than remain tied to static site defence. Combined with THeMIS and distributed sensors, it allows interceptors to be positioned closer to likely threat axes, keeps operators away from the launcher and shifts counter-drone coverage with the ground manoeuvre, directly addressing the need to protect units exposed to a persistent uncrewed aerial threat.

Written By Erwan Halna du Fretay - Defense Analyst, Army Recognition Group
Erwan Halna du Fretay holds a Master’s degree in International Relations and has experience studying conflicts and global arms transfers. His research interests lie in Security and strategic studies, particularly the dynamics of the defense industry, the evolution of military technologies, and the strategic transformation of armed forces.