QinetiQ Germany has carried out the first flight of the Rheinmetall Delta B15 target drone in Todendorf, as part of the German Uncrewed Aerial Training Services.  

This marks a key step in QinetiQ's collaboration with Rheinmetall in the Ground-based Air Defence (GBAD) segment. 

Germany Strategic Business Development head Matthias Grögor said: “In cooperation with Rheinmetall, QinetiQ Germany can expand its market position in the relevant procurement programs of our customers in Germany. This means that we are actively preparing today for the arrival of newly procured weapon systems, always with an eye on current threats and an outlook to 2035.  

“The cooperation is part of our holistic Global Threat Representation Life Cycle approach, which we at QinetiQ implement worldwide as a service provider in exercises from operational analysis to implementation.” 

The Delta B15 drone has been chosen to meet new GBAD requirements, with continuous updates to address emerging threats such as the use of SHAHED one-way drones.  

Designed to support NATO and the European Sky Shield Initiative partner nations, the drone will provide training for systems currently deployed in Germany. 

QinetiQ plans to deploy the Rheinmetall Delta B15 drone in Germany starting in 2025, with future operations planned with the German Navy.  

Rheinmetall Technical Publications CEO Mark Robert Henning said: “We look forward to intensifying our collaboration in this field, based on our extensive experience in target solutions for ground-based air Defense training on the one hand and unmanned systems on the other. The sophistication and diversity of airborne threats are ever-evolving.” 

In addition, QinetiQ secured a £15m ($19m) contract in July 2024, to operate the Thundercloud data management system for the UK Ministry of Defence.  

This system supports the British military's situational awareness, enabling joint forces to prepare for diverse weather conditions worldwide.