Aurelius Systems Teams With American Rheinmetall On Laser Counter-Drone UGVs
Aurelius Systems will integrate its Archimedes directed-energy counter-drone platform onto American Rheinmetall's robotic combat vehicles, giving autonomous logistics convoys a mobile laser shield against multi-drone attacks.
Key Takeaways
Aurelius Systems will integrate its Archimedes directed-energy counter-drone system onto American Rheinmetall's robotic combat vehicles, creating self-defending autonomous logistics convoys against Group 1 and 2 drones.
Archimedes is a lightweight turreted autonomous sensor and laser platform that can detect, track and neutralize small drones at over a kilometer, and unlike kinetic missiles fires as long as the electrified UGV supplies power.
American Rheinmetall's UGVs support U.S. Army programs including S-MET and the GOAT autonomous transport effort, hauling ammunition, water and casualties forward without needing a crewed counter-UAS escort.
The partnership follows Archimedes' live counter-UAS demonstration at Technology Readiness Experimentation (T-REX) 26-2 at Camp Atterbury, Indiana, and Aurelius' April 2026 opening of a U.S. high-power fiber-laser manufacturing line.
Kaan Tınmaz
San Francisco laser-defense startup Aurelius Systems has struck a partnership with American Rheinmetall to bolt its Archimedes directed-energy counter-drone system onto the German-American vehicle maker's robotic combat vehicles, giving future autonomous logistics convoys a mobile laser shield against Group 1 and 2 unmanned aircraft.
Archimedes meets the S-MET class of robots
Archimedes is a lightweight turreted autonomous sensor and directed-energy platform that can detect, track and neutralize small drones more than a kilometer away. American Rheinmetall builds and integrates uncrewed ground vehicles for U.S. Army programs including S-MET and the Ground Optionally Autonomous Transport (GOAT) effort, and is pitching them as robotic supply mules to push ammunition, water and casualty evacuation forward under fire. Bolting Archimedes onto those platforms creates a self-defending autonomous convoy that no longer needs a dedicated crewed counter-UAS escort.
Why directed energy for logistics robots
Aurelius chief executive Michael LaFramboise said the battlefield now "demands mobility, autonomy, and resilience" — precisely the gap that a low-SWaP-C laser fills. Traditional kinetic counter-UAS missiles are expensive and drain magazines fast in the face of drone swarms; a fiber-laser like Archimedes fires as long as it has power, which the electrified UGV can provide. Chris Haag, American Rheinmetall's VP of business development, said Aurelius' system "integrates cleanly into our robotic platforms."
Coming off T-REX 26-2 validation
The deal builds on Aurelius' Technology Readiness Experimentation 26-2 at Camp Atterbury, Indiana, where Archimedes cleared a live counter-UAS demonstration in front of OUSW R&E evaluators. It also follows the company's April 2026 opening of a US high-power fiber-laser manufacturing line — a supply-chain hedge that positions Aurelius alongside other laser primes as the Pentagon accelerates its counter-drone spending.
Archimedes is Aurelius Systems' lightweight, turreted autonomous sensor and directed-energy platform that detects, tracks and neutralizes small (Group 1 and 2) drones at ranges beyond a kilometer using a fiber laser.
Why use a laser instead of missiles for counter-drone defense on logistics robots?
Kinetic counter-UAS missiles are expensive and quickly deplete magazines against drone swarms, while a low-SWaP-C fiber laser like Archimedes can fire as long as it has power, which the electrified robotic ground vehicle provides.
Which vehicles will carry the Archimedes laser?
American Rheinmetall's robotic combat vehicles, including uncrewed ground vehicles built for U.S. Army programs such as S-MET and the Ground Optionally Autonomous Transport (GOAT), which are pitched as robotic supply mules.
Has Archimedes been tested by the U.S. military?
Yes. Archimedes completed a live counter-UAS demonstration at Technology Readiness Experimentation 26-2 at Camp Atterbury, Indiana, in front of Pentagon research and engineering evaluators.
