One Sees. One Strikes. RV Connex Debuts ARUN and K-18M at RTA Innovation Day 2026

Bangkok, 22 July 2026 — R V Connex Co., Ltd. participated in the Royal Thai Army Innovation Day 2026 (RTA Innovation Day 2026), organised by the Army Research and Development Office at the Army Command and General Staff College, on 22 July 2026. The event brought together more than 30 military innovations and inventions from researchers, inventors, and army personnel, with the aim of exchanging knowledge in defence technology and celebrating Thailand's indigenous capability in developing its national security industry.

On this occasion, General Santi Sakuntanak, Chairman of the Army Advisory Board, visited the booth and received a direct briefing from RV Connex's team of engineers and specialists — a valuable opportunity to present Thailand's defence technology capability to the armed forces' most senior leadership.

The centrepiece of RV Connex's showcase was the public debut of ARUN, a Flying Wing tactical surveillance UAS revealed for the very first time. ARUN features a 5.2-metre wingspan, a maximum take-off weight of 55kg, and a payload capacity of 10–12kg — supporting simultaneous installation of EO/IR cameras, Thermal Camera, and SAR systems. What sets ARUN apart from comparable platforms is its exceptional endurance of up to 15–20 hours, a service ceiling of 15,000 feet, and an 80km data link range — enabling coverage of large operational areas in a single sortie. Launched by catapult and recovered by parachute, ARUN requires no runway and is designed for land and maritime ISR and ISTAR missions.

What makes ARUN particularly significant tactically is its interoperability with the K-18M within the framework of UAS Joint Operations. ARUN serves as the Big Picture Observer — flying at altitude to identify and confirm targets before relaying coordinate data to the K-18M for precision engagement. This represents a fully indigenous, Thai-developed closed loop from intelligence gathering to strike.

Alongside ARUN is the K-18M — RV Connex's newest strike platform offering two operational modes within a single airframe. In Loitering Munition mode, the K-18M loiters over a target area for up to 5 hours, observing and confirming targets in real time before committing to attack. In One-Way Attack mode, it flies directly to a designated target at speeds exceeding 130 knots across an operational radius of over 600 kilometres. Both modes share the same platform: a 2-metre wingspan, 55kg maximum take-off weight, and a 5kg payload capacity. The K-18M is catapult-launched and requires no runway for deployment.

Another system that drew strong visitor interest was T-OR and TANN — a tactical FPV (First-Person View) UAV pair engineered to operate as a closed-loop system from reconnaissance and target confirmation through to precision strike in a single chain. What validates this system most compellingly is not its specification sheet, but the fact that the TANN FPV has been deployed in real military operations and has received official operational endorsements from multiple army units — confirming that it performs to its designated objectives in real-world environments. T-OR and TANN are, by every measure, truly Combat Proven.

On the defensive side, PRAGARN — RV Connex's indigenous Counter-UAS site protection and management system — was also on display. With a Command and Control (C2) system at its core, PRAGARN integrates AESA radar and detection sensors with countermeasure effectors such as signal jammers and drone guns to neutralise threats comprehensively and precisely. Having entered active service protecting critical national infrastructure since 2021, PRAGARN demonstrates RV Connex's full-spectrum capability spanning both offensive and defensive platforms — all built by Thai hands.

Completing the picture was RV Connex's Operational Concept for multi-platform UAS Joint Operations — integrating the Sky Scout, Red Kite, K-18M, and ARUN within a single Command & Control framework. The concept covers the full mission chain: wide-area reconnaissance, target identification, precision strike, and Battle Damage Assessment (BDA). It represents RV Connex's vision for a Thai UAS ecosystem that answers the demands of the modern battlefield completely and independently — without foreign reliance.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Sujate Jantarang, President of R V Connex Co., Ltd., stated: "Today we did not come to show concepts. We came to show what has already been proven in the field — and what is ready for the field tomorrow. That is the difference between a company that says 'we can do this' and a company that has already done it. RV Connex has chosen to be the latter, and we will continue advancing alongside the Royal Thai Army — because that is the only path that will make Thailand's technological sovereignty a reality."

RV Connex extends its deepest appreciation to the Army Research and Development Office for this distinguished opportunity, and remains fully committed to advancing security innovation in partnership with the Royal Thai Armed Forces — building the strong and sustainable defence industry foundation that this nation deserves.