July 23rd, 2026 | 08:05 CEST
Another Setback for Rheinmetall? DroneShield Sounds the Alarm as Volatus Aerospace Pushes Ahead
Is the next German-French defence project headed for failure? In an interview with Welt am Sonntag, Rheinmetall CEO Armin Papperger warns of a possible French withdrawal from the MGCS ground combat system planned with Germany. This would mark the second major strategic setback for Rheinmetall. Drone specialist Volatus Aerospace is currently beating the drum hard to keep its order pipeline full. In the UK, the company is currently showcasing its expertise in aviation, autonomous systems, aerial reconnaissance, training, and mission support. Previously, Volatus had demonstrated its solutions in Canada, where the Arctic and maritime regions place special demands on robust, networked security solutions. The threat posed by drones is growing, yet many airports and operators of critical infrastructure appear to be inadequately prepared. A new study by DroneShield reveals significant gaps in detection, defence, and legal authority.
time to read: 4 minutes | Author: Fabian Lorenz
ISIN: RHEINMETALL AG | DE0007030009 , VOLATUS AEROSPACE INC | CA92865M1023 | TSXV: FLT , OTCQB: TAKOF , DRONESHIELD LTD | AU000000DRO2
Table of contents:
Author
Fabian Lorenz
For more than twenty years, the Cologne native has been intensively involved with the stock market, both professionally and privately. He is particularly passionate about national and international small and micro caps.
Tag cloud
Shares cloud
Volatus Aerospace: On the offensive
With a sales pipeline exceeding CAD 500 million, Volatus Aerospace is not resting on its laurels. The specialist in drone systems for both civilian and military applications aims to grow significantly in the coming years. To ensure the pipeline remains fully stocked, the company is currently ramping up its marketing efforts.
Volatus Aerospace is currently exhibiting at the Farnborough International Airshow in the United Kingdom. As part of the Canadian delegation, the company aims to showcase its expertise in aviation, autonomous systems, aerial reconnaissance, training, and mission support. Its portfolio includes, among other things, drone systems, counter-UAS (C-UAS) technologies, its proprietary SKYDRA software, and solutions for defence, security, critical infrastructure, and industrial applications.
By participating in the Canadian joint booth, Volatus aims to expand its international presence and forge new strategic partnerships. CEO Glen Lynch believes the company is well-positioned to capitalize on the growing demand for autonomous systems, intelligence solutions, and mission-critical aviation capabilities. Volatus combines traditional aerospace expertise with autonomy and data-driven reconnaissance to support customers in security, operational readiness, and operational efficiency.
Last week, Volatus Aerospace participated in the Maritime & Arctic Security & Safety Conference (MASS) 2026 in St. John's, Canada. At the event hosted by Saab Canada, the company presented its integrated portfolio for aviation, defence, and security. According to CEO Glen Lynch, Canada's Arctic and maritime regions place special demands on robust and connected security solutions. Volatus aims to leverage its expertise in aviation, autonomy, and intelligence to support government and industrial customers in operations within challenging environments.
https://youtu.be/F4ajDCojMRo?si=XNXoEHVhjc9cyVRW
Rheinmetall: CEO Issues Warning
Will the next Franco-German defence project fail? Following the cancellation of the joint FCAS fighter jet program, uncertainty is also growing regarding the planned MGCS ground combat system. In an interview with "Welt am Sonntag," Rheinmetall CEO Armin Papperger warns of possible delays and a potential withdrawal by France. According to him, Paris could significantly cut the project's budget. The MGCS is intended to replace the Leopard 2 and Leclerc main battle tanks in the long term, but concrete decisions on funding have apparently not yet been made.
The already lengthy timeline is increasing the pressure. While the first new German main battle tanks, unofficially referred to as the Leopard 3, could enter service as early as the beginning of the 2030s, the MGCS is not expected to be operational until the 2040s. Papperger therefore openly questions whether the project will be implemented at all. In addition to Rheinmetall, KNDS and Thales are also involved. Following the failure of FCAS, this once again highlights how difficult cooperation is on major German-French defence projects.
For Rheinmetall, the potential failure of the MGCS could be its next strategic setback. The German government recently cancelled a planned frigate contract that the defence contractor had been counting on. Subsequently, Rheinmetall's share price fell below EUR 1,000. The share is currently attempting to regain that level. The latest analyst commentary came from Jefferies. The experts estimate the fair value of the stock of Germany's largest defence contractor at EUR 1,300 and recommend buying it.
DroneShield: Warning Issued
In its new report, "Airspace Under Pressure," DroneShield warns of significant gaps in drone defence at airports and critical infrastructure sites. The report is based on surveys of more than 20 operators worldwide. Accordingly, 70% view deficiencies in the detection of unauthorized drones as a major problem. Furthermore, 60% of organizations lack the legal authority to take immediate action against a threat. Additional hurdles include the complex integration of various systems and a lack of training or operational readiness.
Although 57% of respondents already pursue a comprehensive approach that includes airspace surveillance, detection, tracking, and defence, DroneShield notes a significant gap between their stated goals and their actual operational capability. For example, 17% lack a formal counter-UAS plan. In an emergency, these operators would have to respond for the first time during an ongoing incident without well-rehearsed procedures, clear escalation pathways, or a sufficient situational picture.
DroneShield therefore classifies the organizations surveyed according to their level of maturity. While a larger proportion has defined objectives and certain operational capabilities, they still exhibit weaknesses. Other operators have plans but cannot fully implement them with the available technologies or legal authorities. The report concludes that the main problem is not awareness of the drone threat, but rather the ability to counter threats in a legally compliant, coordinated, and real-time manner. This requires not only investments in technology but also regulatory reforms and better operational integration.
Rheinmetall is currently struggling. While the company continues to grow, problems are piling up when it comes to major strategic issues. Volatus Aerospace is likely to continue growing strongly in the coming years. It should therefore only be a matter of time before the stock rebounds. The same applies to DroneShield. The company's latest report demonstrates that drone defence is a billion-dollar market and is likely to remain so.
Conflict of interest
Pursuant to §85 of the German Securities Trading Act (WpHG), we point out that Apaton Finance GmbH as well as partners, authors or employees of Apaton Finance GmbH (hereinafter referred to as "Relevant Persons") currently hold or hold shares or other financial instruments of the aforementioned companies and speculate on their price developments. In this respect, they intend to sell or acquire shares or other financial instruments of the companies (hereinafter each referred to as a "Transaction"). Transactions may thereby influence the respective price of the shares or other financial instruments of the Company.
In this respect, there is a concrete conflict of interest in the reporting on the companies.
In addition, Apaton Finance GmbH is active in the context of the preparation and publication of the reporting in paid contractual relationships.
For this reason, there is also a concrete conflict of interest.
The above information on existing conflicts of interest applies to all types and forms of publication used by Apaton Finance GmbH for publications on companies.
Risk notice
Apaton Finance GmbH offers editors, agencies and companies the opportunity to publish commentaries, interviews, summaries, news and the like on news.financial. These contents are exclusively for the information of the readers and do not represent any call to action or recommendations, neither explicitly nor implicitly they are to be understood as an assurance of possible price developments. The contents do not replace individual expert investment advice and do not constitute an offer to sell the discussed share(s) or other financial instruments, nor an invitation to buy or sell such.
The content is expressly not a financial analysis, but a journalistic or advertising text. Readers or users who make investment decisions or carry out transactions on the basis of the information provided here do so entirely at their own risk. No contractual relationship is established between Apaton Finance GmbH and its readers or the users of its offers, as our information only refers to the company and not to the investment decision of the reader or user.
The acquisition of financial instruments involves high risks, which can lead to the total loss of the invested capital. The information published by Apaton Finance GmbH and its authors is based on careful research. Nevertheless, no liability is assumed for financial losses or a content-related guarantee for the topicality, correctness, appropriateness and completeness of the content provided here. Please also note our Terms of use.
