Austrian Armed Forces receives 350 Elbit Systems' Magni-X UASs

Image of Elbit Systems' Magni-X UAS included in a press release from January 2023. (Elbit Systems)

The Austrian Armed Forces has received 350 vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) Magni-X unmanned aircraft systems (UASs) from Elbit Systems, Brigadier General Michael Janisch, director of the Armaments and Defence Technology Agency of the Austrian Armed Forces, confirmed to Janes on 4 December at Defence iQ's Uncrewed and Autonomous Systems 2025 conference in London.

Delivered in a first batch of 50 and a second of 300, the short-range reconnaissance Magni-X UASs will be directed to different units for trialling in the next few weeks. Brig Gen Janisch does not expect a third batch of the system to be procured in the short term.

“I'm sure a number of these assets will be destroyed during training because they are very light and dependent on weather conditions as well as other [conditions],” Brig Gen Janisch added.

Following the delivery of the Magni-Xs, the Austrian Armed Forces has six remaining acquisition programmes for UASs, according to Brig Gen Janisch. “They are primarily reconnaissance assets, communication assets, [and] electronic warfare (EW) assets, of different sizes from small to large. When I say large, I mean unmanned aircraft,” Brig Gen Janisch said. He did not elaborate on the other programmes, only adding that they will depend on technological developments.