The Spanish Armada has awarded Madrid-based developer Alpha Unmanned Systems a contract to supply a Class I Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (RPAS) for the navy’s Unmanned Vehicle Experimentation Centre (CEVENTA).
Under the terms of the award, Alpha Unmanned Systems will deliver a system comprising at least three A900 unmanned helicopters in maritime configuration, equipped with electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) sensors. The complete procurement package incorporates vessel-based and terrestrial control stations, a flight simulator, AIS transceiver modules, a logistics support package, as well as operator and technician training.
Designed to perform reconnaissance and surveillance missions, the A900 platform maintains a maximum take-off weight under 25 kilograms, an operational endurance of more than 4 hours, and a range of up to 60 kilometers while integrating various payload options.
Eric Freeman, CEO of Alpha Unmanned Systems, commented, “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.
“We’re honored by the trust the Armada has placed in the A900, and excited to demonstrate, in operational service with CEVENTA, the real capabilities unmanned systems bring to sovereign maritime defense.”
The award builds on several years of operational history between the company and the Spanish navy. The A900 platform has deployed aboard Spanish Armada Offshore Patrol Vessels (BAMs) on three separate occasions, including participation in major NATO naval exercises. During REPMUS 2022, the aircraft operated from patrol vessels and integrated into a shore-based command-and-control node. At Dynamic Messenger in 2023, the platform was integrated into the combat systems of the BAM “Furor” via Navantia’s NAIAD system, demonstrating simultaneous command and control of unmanned aerial and surface vehicles.
Most recently, in May 2026, the A900 participated in a Manned-unmanned teaming (MUM-T) exercise in collaboration with Airbus Helicopters España, operating from the naval patrol vessel “Rayo” approximately 20 nautical miles off the coast of Cádiz. The event marked the second MUM-T cooperation between the two companies and was observed by representatives of the Naval Air Flotilla, the Guardia Civil, and delegations from several international navies.
Eric Freeman, CEO of Alpha Unmanned Systems, added, “The future of maritime air surveillance lies in the interoperability of systems. 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.”
