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John Cockerill Unveils Arquus Drailer UGV with Hornet Guard Remote Weapon System for Counter-Drone Defense.
At BEDEX 2026 in Belgium, John Cockerill introduced a new Arquus Drailer unmanned ground vehicle fitted with the Hornet Air Guard remote weapon station for mobile counter-drone missions. The move signals that European defense firms are pushing unmanned ground systems into frontline air defense roles as armies seek more agile protection against low-altitude drone threats.
At the BEDEX 2026 defense exhibition in Belgium, John Cockerill unveiled a new configuration of its Arquus Drailer unmanned ground vehicle integrated with the Hornet Air Guard remote weapon station. Army Recognition has been officially designated as the only Official Online Show Daily News and Web Partner for BEDEX 2026, ensuring exclusive digital coverage of the exhibition from its preparation phase through to the event itself. The unveiling highlights the growing importance of mobile counter-drone protection for maneuver forces operating in increasingly contested air environments. It also reflects how unmanned ground platforms are now being adapted not only for support missions, but also for active battlefield protection.
At the BEDEX 2026 defense exhibition in Belgium, John Cockerill unveiled a new configuration of the Arquus Drailer unmanned ground vehicle equipped with the Hornet Air Guard remote weapon station to provide mobile counter-drone protection for maneuver forces (Picture Source: Army Recognition)
The Arquus Drailer is a compact unmanned ground vehicle developed as a modular platform for logistics, support, and combat-related missions close to the front line. Built around a 4x4 architecture, it combines a 76 kW electric powertrain operating at 100 V with a chassis-beam base designed for modular mission integration. The vehicle has a gross vehicle weight of 1,700 kg and can carry a payload of 700 kg on a flat platform measuring 2450 x 1600 mm. Its four-wheel drive and steering, together with independent suspensions, allow it to maneuver over difficult terrain while maintaining the flexibility required for expeditionary and high-tempo operations.
Its endurance profile is one of its most relevant operational features. The Drailer can travel up to 100 km at 20 kph in its baseline configuration, and this range can be doubled through the use of a 3 kW diesel range extender. The same extender also doubles standby time from 12 hours to 24 hours, while the platform can supply 2 kW of onboard electrical power to mission systems. With a maximum speed of 40 kph in operation and up to 90 kph when towed, the platform offers a useful balance between mobility, persistence, and energy support for sensors, weapons, or communications equipment integrated on the vehicle.
Mounted on the Drailer, the Hornet Air Guard brings a dedicated anti-air and counter-UAS capability to an unmanned mobile platform. Depending on variant, the system weighs less than 465 kg, including machine gun, ammunition, radar, and smoke launchers, with a height below 931 mm. Its sensor suite includes a full digital optronics unit with day cameras offering continuous zoom, an uncooled thermal camera, and an eye-safe laser rangefinder, all paired with a display designed for use with high-performance sensors. The radar has a range of more than one kilometer, a 120-degree azimuth coverage and 80-degree elevation field, operating in the 24.45 to 24.65 GHz band. An optional RF detection and jamming function broadens its utility against drone threats by adding a non-kinetic layer.
The dynamic architecture of the Hornet Air Guard is particularly relevant for engaging fast and low-flying targets. The system features stabilized two-axis operation and a detached line-of-sight two-axis configuration, with azimuth coverage extending to n x 360 degrees and elevation from 20 to 60 degrees. It can be armed with a 12.7 mm FN M2HB heavy machine gun, a 7.62 mm FN MAG 58 machine gun, or a 40 mm HK GMG automatic grenade launcher, while remaining adaptable for other weapons on demand. An independent 360-degree ring for sensors and smoke grenade launchers enables surveillance and defensive reaction functions to remain active independently from the main weapon alignment. This combination indicates a system designed not only to engage drones, but also to maintain local protection in complex combat environments.
From a tactical standpoint, integrating the Hornet Air Guard onto the Drailer creates a forward-deployable counter-drone asset that can accompany combat units, protect logistics nodes, or screen vulnerable elements without placing crew members directly at risk. In current conflicts, drones are increasingly used for reconnaissance, artillery spotting, attack coordination, and direct strike missions. A compact unmanned vehicle able to move, observe, and engage these threats provides commanders with an additional layer of responsive protection that can be pushed farther forward than a manned equivalent. It also increases force survivability by distributing air defense functions across smaller and less exposed platforms.
At the strategic level, the system reflects a wider transformation in land warfare, where autonomous platforms, counter-UAS systems, and modular mission architectures are becoming closely interconnected. European and allied armed forces are now under pressure to adapt to an operational environment saturated with low-cost drones and loitering munitions. A system such as the Arquus Drailer with Hornet Air Guard answers this demand by combining tactical mobility, autonomous utility, and local air defense into a single package. This kind of platform could find relevance not only in high-intensity warfare, but also in base protection, border security, convoy escort, and expeditionary deployments where air threats emerge quickly and unpredictably.
With this unveiling in Belgium, John Cockerill presented more than a new vehicle configuration. It showed a practical direction for the evolution of unmanned ground systems toward armed, sensor-rich, and networked battlefield roles. Army Recognition has been officially designated as the only Official Online Show Daily News and Web Partner for BEDEX 2026, ensuring exclusive digital coverage of the exhibition from its preparation phase through to the event itself. This role places Army Recognition at the center of the event’s digital reporting, with continuous coverage, technical analysis, original imagery, and exclusive interviews helping document how new systems such as the Arquus Drailer with Hornet Air Guard are redefining force protection and tactical mobility for modern armed forces.