At the annual RÜ.NET 2024 conference and exhibition, General Dynamics European Land Systems (GDELS) introduced two advanced military platforms to the German audience for the first time: the EAGLE TASYS reconnaissance vehicle and the PIRANHA StratCom mobile communications platform. Held on September 4-5, 2024, at the Rhein-Mosel-Halle in Koblenz, Germany, the event was organized in collaboration with the Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology, and In-Service Support (Bundesamt für Ausrüstung, Informationstechnik und Nutzung der Bundeswehr; BAAINBw) making it one of the country’s premier exhibitions focused on military equipment and armament. Both platforms showcased at RÜ.NET 2024 underscore GDELS’s commitment to delivering state-of-the-art military vehicles that meet the evolving demands of modern warfare. As the Bundeswehr and other European armed forces continue to modernize, vehicles like the EAGLE TASYS and PIRANHA StratCom will play a critical role in maintaining operational superiority.
The EAGLE TASYS is set to play a crucial role in intelligence-gathering operations for the Swiss Armed Forces, while also offering support to civil authorities. Built on the robust EAGLE V 6×6 platform, this reconnaissance vehicle is equipped with a multi-sensor system mounted on a telescopic mast and a data processing system. For self-defense, it comes armored with a remotely controlled weapon station, ensuring both survivability and operational effectiveness. Production of the EAGLE TASYS began in 2020, with fielding planned between 2023 and 2025. Its modular design allows for future upgrades, including additional sensors, making it adaptable to evolving battlefield needs. Notably, the EAGLE V 6×6 is lauded for its off-road mobility, mine protection, and payload capacity, establishing it as one of the most advanced wheeled military vehicles available today. The EAGLE TASYS will be used to gather intelligence for the Swiss Armed Forces including support of civil authorities.
The PIRANHA StratCom, designed to deploy strategic and tactical communication systems. Sharing its powertrain with other models in the Piranha V family, this platform offers logistical commonality while providing advanced communication capabilities. Equipped with a 15-meter deployable mast capable of supporting a 300 kg payload, the PIRANHA StratCom is tailored for command, control, communications, computers, and intelligence (C4I) operations. Designed with high payload capacity and ample interior space, the vehicle ensures full protection for both mission systems and operators. Its integrated communication system supports long-range, line-of-sight communications, making it indispensable for linking strategic communication systems with tactical units on the battlefield. Additional features include a pair of hydraulic legs at the rear to stabilize the vehicle when the mast is deployed, a protective structure for the antenna equipment on or in the roof, and several cooling units for the electronic equipment.
General Dynamics European Land Systems (GDELS) is an automotive and arms manufacturer spread across Europe, with a headquarter in Madrid, Spain. At the beginning of the years 2000, General Dynamics acquired major European defence companies, and consolidated the activities and expanded the collaborations. General Dynamics Corporation acquired Santa Bárbara Sistemas in July 2001. General Dynamics Corporation acquired the defence activity of EWK Eisenwerke Kaiserslautern in October 2002 and became GDELS – Germany in 2003. General Dynamics European Land Systems was founded in 2003. General Dynamics Corporation acquired the land defence vehicles unit of Steyr-Daimler-Puch Spezialfahrzeug GmbH in October 2003, and incorporated it to GDELS. Prior the full acquisition, General Dynamics already owned 25% of the company. It is a business unit of General Dynamics which consolidated in one structure all European subsidiaries of GDLS.
