Spain’s ARQUIMEA Unveils GRIFO: A Modular Multi-Launcher System for Loitering Munitions at DSEI 2025

At DSEI 2025 in London, the Spanish defence company ARQUIMEA unveiled GRIFO, a new modular multi-launcher system designed to deploy its Q-SLAM-40 loitering munitions from unmanned ground platforms. The system was showcased on the DUMA Spectre 8×8 UGV, integrating five launch tubes and offering a powerful combination of mobility, autonomy, and precision strike capability.

This development reflects the growing European focus on unmanned systems and loitering munitions, aligning with NATO’s push for precision, survivability, and adaptability in contested environments.

Key Features of GRIFO & Q-SLAM-40

• Launcher setup: GRIFO carries five Q-SLAM-40 launch tubes on the Spectre 8×8 UGV. The vehicle can store up to 18 munitions in reserve, allowing sustained operations.

• Modularity: The launcher can be integrated not only on the Spectre but also on other manned or unmanned vehicles, making it adaptable for different missions.

• Operational flexibility: GRIFO is designed for GPS-denied zones and contested electromagnetic environments. It enables rapid deployment, with setup times under five minutes, and can collaborate with electronic warfare or counter-drone assets.

Technical Characteristics of Q-SLAM-40

• Portability: The full system weighs about 28 kg and is designed to be operated by a two-person team. One soldier typically carries the launcher and control unit, while the other carries the munitions.

• Range & endurance: The munition can operate within 10–15 km and has a flight endurance of 12–15 minutes, depending on terrain and conditions.

• Speed & altitude: It cruises at 72–90 km/h, with attack dives reaching up to 126 km/h, and can operate at altitudes up to 2,000 meters.

• Warhead & sensors: Equipped with a 40 mm warhead, available in high explosive or anti-armor variants, the Q-SLAM-40 is effective against light armored vehicles, bunkers, and moving targets. It carries a high-definition electro-optical camera, with optional infrared sensors, and maintains a two-way encrypted datalink for real-time control. Operators retain full man-in-the-loop authority to confirm, redirect, or abort missions before impact.

Operational Impact

• High volume of fire: With multiple launch tubes and reserve munitions, GRIFO allows armies to conduct sequential or simultaneous strikes without immediate resupply.

• Reduced risk: Mounted on unmanned ground vehicles, the system minimizes soldier exposure to hostile fire.

• Adaptation to modern warfare: Its resilience against electronic warfare and rapid deployment capabilities directly reflect lessons learned from recent conflicts, such as Ukraine, where drones and loitering munitions dominate land operations.

Complementary ARQUIMEA Systems

• SkyBlock: A man-portable anti-drone jammer designed to disable hostile UAVs by disrupting communications, providing a layered defense in drone-saturated battlefields.

• NH90 Helicopter Integration: ARQUIMEA has partnered with Airbus to integrate the Q-SLAM-40 onto the NH90 helicopter, expanding its use to aerial platforms for combined reconnaissance, strike, and counter-drone missions with potential swarm capabilities.

Strategic Significance

The unveiling of GRIFO highlights ARQUIMEA’s ambition to become a key player in Europe’s unmanned warfare sector. Unlike single-tube systems, GRIFO’s multi-launch capacity boosts persistence on the battlefield, giving commanders options to overwhelm adversaries through successive or coordinated precision strikes.

From a strategic lens, this system embodies the priorities of modern armed forces: flexibility, survivability, and precision. By uniting a modular launch platform, intelligent loitering munitions, and counter-drone integration, GRIFO demonstrates how the future of land combat will increasingly rely on autonomous platforms delivering scalable lethality with reduced operational risk.