Berlin-based STARK has unveiled two unmanned systems designed to reshape how NATO forces approach swarm operations and precision strikes.
The company said the new platforms reflect a broader shift toward low-cost, mass-producible systems deployable across land, air, and maritime domains.
‘Artillery-Like Reach’
STARK’s new long-range solution, Cascade, can travel over 100 kilometers (62 miles). The company claims it delivers “artillery-like reach at a fraction of the cost of conventional long-range munitions.”
The loitering munition is equipped with a 4.5-kilogram (10-pound) payload and is designed to penetrate targets hidden deep behind enemy lines, including command posts, logistics hubs, and air defense systems.
Thanks to an AI-powered sensor suite, Cascade can operate without GNSS, using object recognition and precision tracking when navigation signals are jammed.
It also boasts a mission endurance of up to 60 minutes and a launch-to-ready time of under one minute.
STARK has partnered with UK-based Force Development Services to integrate a six-cell launcher capable of firing multiple effectors.
The company has already demonstrated launches from an uncrewed surface vessel, highlighting maritime deployment options.
Man-Portable ISR Solution
The second platform, Gambit, is a quadcopter-based system designed for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) missions, with a secondary short-range strike role.
It has an operational range of 25 kilometers (16 miles), carries a 2-kilogram (4-pound) payload, and weighs just over 6 kilograms (13 pounds). The system is designed for frontline deployment in GPS-denied environments.
Gambit can remain airborne for up to 25 minutes and be launched in under five minutes by soldiers in the field.
A strike variant is also available for precision engagements at short range.
Networked Operations
Both Cascade and Gambit integrate with STARK’s Minerva command-and-control system, enabling coordinated operations across land, air, and sea domains.
The system supports swarm-level coordination, allowing operators to control multiple platforms simultaneously.
The two platforms were unveiled at STARK’s Swindon facility in England, with Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer in attendance.
At the unveiling, Starmer highlighted the need to stay ahead in developing future military capability.
“It is obvious to all of you, and it’s obvious to me, that we need to make sure we’re ahead of the game, ahead of the curve here, and that we’re getting the capability that we need now, in five years, in 10 years,” he stated.
