The Portuguese Army is testing attack drones-classified as loitering munitions-in the NATO exercise Strong Impact 2026 at Santa Margarida Military Camp in Constância. The drill, which concludes this week, involves 417 troops from Portugal, Spain, France, and Romania.
These unmanned systems, developed under Portugal’s Military Programming Law in partnership with domestic firm UAVision, operate on a “search-then-strike” model. Unlike traditional missiles, they allow real-time target selection, enhancing precision and minimizing collateral damage.
Lieutenant Colonel Hélder Parcelas, an Army spokesperson, emphasized the system’s flexibility: operators can abort or redirect strikes as battlefield conditions change. The munitions build on last year’s trials of the Elanus drone, which offers a 50-kilometer range, 30-minute endurance, and 3-kilogram payload.
The ultimate goal: domestically produce longer-range, higher-payload weaponry while boosting interoperability among NATO artillery and air defense units.