The Spanish Navy has awarded Alpha Unmanned Systems a contract to supply a Class I Remotely Piloted Aircraft System for the Armada’s Unmanned Vehicle Experimentation Centre (CEVENTA).
The contract will see the Madrid-based firm deliver at least three A900 uncrewed helicopters in a maritime configuration, equipped with electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) sensors.
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The package also includes vessel-based and terrestrial control stations, a flight simulator, AIS transceiver modules, operator and technician training, and a logistics support package.
According to Alpha Unmanned Systems, the A900 helicopters will be used primarily for reconnaissance and surveillance missions.
The platform supports a maximum take-off weight below 25kg, can operate for more than four hours, and has a range of up to 60km.
Alpha Unmanned Systems CEO Eric Freeman said: “This award is the product of a close, longstanding collaboration with the Armada, built through years of working side by side at sea, from REPMUS and Dynamic Messenger to our recent manned-unmanned teaming trials with Airbus Helicopters España aboard the BAM Rayo.”
The new contract continues a period of operational cooperation between Alpha Unmanned Systems and the Spanish Navy.
The A900 platform has previously deployed aboard Offshore Patrol Vessels (BAMs) on several occasions, including participation in major Nato exercises such as REPMUS 2022 and Dynamic Messenger 2023.
During REPMUS 2022, Alpha’s uncrewed helicopters operated from Spanish patrol vessels and integrated with shore-based command and control during the Nato exercise.
At Dynamic Messenger, the A900 was controlled via Navantia’s NAIAD system from the BAM “Furor,” demonstrating the ability to operate aerial and surface vehicles simultaneously.
In May 2026, an A900 platform participated in a Manned-Unmanned Teaming (MUM-T) trial alongside Airbus Helicopters España aboard the BAM “Rayo,” approximately 20 nautical miles off Cádiz.
The exercise, observed by multiple Spanish and international stakeholders, marked the second occasion Alpha and Airbus collaborated in this domain.
Freeman said: “The effective combination of manned and unmanned assets, with platforms like the A900 acting as more versatile, lower-cost force multipliers, enhancing situational awareness and reducing risk to crews.”
