German Companies TDW and STARK Successfully Test LION STRIKE 110 Warhead for VIRTUS Drone

German defense companies TDW and STARK have announced the successful completion of the first combat test in Germany of the VIRTUS loitering munition equipped with the LION STRIKE 110 (LS110) warhead.

The information was confirmed to Militarnyi by company representatives.

The test took place just a few months after TDW and STARK signed a cooperation agreement. Company representatives said the result demonstrates the ability of Europe’s defense industry to develop and integrate new combat capabilities on short timelines, with a focus on current battlefield requirements.

The warhead is based on TDW’s new LION STRIKE product line and is available in two main configurations: a dedicated anti-tank version and a multi-purpose variant.

It uses tandem shaped charges and a fragmentation casing and is offered in several weight classes, allowing for further performance upgrades and adaptation to emerging threats. The companies highlighted armor-penetration levels above the average for this class of munition.

“Today we have shown that Germany can rapidly deliver effective solutions. We are providing NATO and Ukraine with a weapons system capable of defeating even heavily protected armored vehicles and available in large numbers,” said Andre Schneider, co-founder and board member of STARK.

The companies said the successful test opens the way for mass production of several thousand systems by 2027, which they described as critical to boosting the operational readiness of allied armed forces.

They added that the cooperation is part of Germany’s Zeitenwende policy, aimed at accelerating the deployment of advanced military capabilities. Scalable production volumes and the system’s demonstrated technological maturity are expected to strengthen Europe’s deterrence posture.

VIRTUS drones have been used by Ukraine’s Defense Forces since the summer of 2025 and have already carried out multiple successful strikes against enemy targets. The system’s combat debut involved a strike in the Zaporizhzhia region, guided by a Vector reconnaissance drone that detected the target and transmitted precise coordinates.

According to Stark Defence, the VIRTUS has a cruising speed of 120 km/h and can accelerate to 250 km/h in a dive. It is capable of engaging both stationary and moving targets, with a battery endurance of up to one hour.

As part of its production expansion, German startup Stark Defence has opened a new factory for manufacturing VIRTUS strike drones in the UK city of Swindon.

At the same time, Stark announced a partnership with British engineering firm GreenJets. The cooperation aims to integrate GreenJets’ launch systems and propulsion solutions into a new generation of unmanned aerial vehicles to be developed jointly.

The 3,700-square-meter facility has already created more than 50 jobs in software, electronics, manufacturing, flight operations and aerospace engineering. The workforce is expected to exceed 100 in the future, Stark said.