TEKEVER Secures Portuguese Air Force Contract for AI-Based Autonomous Aerial Systems

TEKEVER Secures Portuguese Air Force Contract for AI-Based Autonomous Aerial Systems

(IN BRIEF) TEKEVER has signed a contract with the Portuguese Air Force to supply the AR5 autonomous aerial system for surveillance, security and defence missions. The systems are scheduled for delivery as early as September 2026 and will be operated directly by the Portuguese Air Force. The contract also includes operator training, a Ground Control Station and the ATLAS mission system. The AR5 will support long-range missions including maritime surveillance, monitoring of Portugal’s Exclusive Economic Zone, coastal security, environmental protection and public interest missions such as DECIR. The TEKEVER AR5 is a medium-altitude, long-endurance unmanned aerial system with up to 20 hours of endurance, payload capacity of up to 50 kg, satellite communications and the ability to operate beyond radio line of sight.

(PRESS RELEASE) LISBON, 12-Aug-2026 — /EuropaWire/ — TEKEVER has signed a contract with the Portuguese Air Force to supply the AR5 autonomous aerial system, strengthening Portugal’s surveillance, security and defence capabilities.

The autonomous platforms are scheduled for delivery as early as September 2026 and will be operated directly by the Portuguese Air Force.

The contract includes the supply of the AR5 system, operator training, a Ground Control Station and the ATLAS mission system.

TEKEVER, a pan-European technology company specialising in artificial intelligence-based autonomous systems, said the agreement represents an important step in the immediate reinforcement of the Portuguese Air Force’s operational capabilities.

The contract also supports the ongoing modernisation of Portugal’s air assets.

Delivery of the systems and achievement of initial operational capability are already planned for September.

The AR5 system will allow the Portuguese Air Force to strengthen its autonomy in long-range missions.

The platforms will be deployed for maritime surveillance, security and defence missions, as well as monitoring of Portugal’s Exclusive Economic Zone.

They will also support public interest missions, including the Special Rural Firefighting Unit, known as DECIR, coastal security and environmental protection.

To ensure effective and autonomous use of the new capability, TEKEVER will carry out a comprehensive knowledge transfer programme.

Initial training for Portuguese Air Force personnel will be completed by September, in line with the scheduled delivery of the systems.

A second training phase will take place in October 2026, consolidating full operational readiness and supporting the development of new skills among operational teams.

Tenente-Coronel Luís Henriques, Operational Coordinator of the Portuguese Air Force’s AR5 Working Group, said the integration of the AR5 system represents a significant enhancement of the Portuguese Air Force’s operational capabilities.

He said the platform meets current surveillance, security and defence requirements by providing greater range, endurance and operational flexibility.

Henriques added that the system will strengthen the country’s ability to monitor the Exclusive Economic Zone and support a wide range of public interest missions, helping build an Air Force better prepared to respond to current and future challenges.

Pedro Petiz, Director of Portugal at TEKEVER, said the contract places an autonomous capability developed and produced in Portugal at the service of protecting the country’s airspace and maritime territory.

He said that, beyond supplying the aircraft, TEKEVER will cooperate with the Portuguese Air Force to consolidate and develop its own operational capability.

Petiz added that this will strengthen national autonomy, readiness and response capacity.

TEKEVER systems have accumulated thousands of flight hours in missions including coastal patrol, persistent surveillance, border protection, detection of suspicious activities, environmental protection and search and rescue.

The company’s operational experience has been built through work for national and international entities, including the UK Home Office and the European Maritime Safety Agency.

TEKEVER systems are also currently in operation in Ukraine, where they carry out surveillance and reconnaissance missions in an operational environment.

The TEKEVER AR5 is a medium-altitude, long-endurance fixed-wing unmanned aerial system designed for wide-area intelligence-gathering missions.

The platform offers flight endurance of up to 20 hours and can carry payloads of up to 50 kilograms.

It integrates satellite communications, enabling operations beyond radio line of sight.

The system can also operate from short or unprepared runways, supporting high flexibility and operational resilience in demanding scenarios.

Through the agreement with the Portuguese Air Force, TEKEVER is strengthening the role of autonomous aerial systems in national security, maritime monitoring and public interest operations, while supporting Portugal’s development of sovereign operational capabilities.

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SOURCE: TEKEVER