Defense & Space · Answers
What does Alea Defense & Space build?
Alea Defense & Space, a division of Alea Industries, is building Obsidian, a Portuguese uncrewed combat aircraft with an AI targeting and engagement core, human on the loop, and ObsidianOS, its AI mission and targeting layer, built first. Obsidian is a fighter-profile uncrewed combat aircraft with an internal weapons bay, built to carry and employ weapons. ObsidianOS is the AI mission and targeting layer: one operator, many aircraft, autonomous engagement inside human-set rules of engagement, every engagement on the record. The command layer exists as a simulation and software-in-the-loop demonstrator at TRL 3 to 4. The targeting and engagement pipeline runs against simulated sensors and simulated effectors. The aircraft is in design. A sub-scale physical demonstrator is planned for H1 2027. No live weapons have been integrated or fired. Obsidian is designed for production in Portugal from the first drawing, on an EU supply chain.
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How is the programme structured?
One programme, two tracks, one gate. The software is built first, so operators can break it years before the airframe flies.
The command layer comes first
ObsidianOS, the AI mission and targeting layer, is built and tested in simulation before any airframe exists. Operators work against it now, so what they would not trust is found early.
One operator tasks many aircraft
Commander intent becomes tasking across the fleet. The onboard chain runs find, classify, prioritise, engage inside rules of engagement set before the mission.
A human owns the envelope
People set the rules of engagement, supervise every aircraft, and can intervene, hold fire or abort at any moment. Inside those rules the aircraft engages on its own.
Every engagement goes on the record
Every detection, decision and engagement is written to an append-only, hash-linked log, so the mission replays exactly and an assessor can see why each engagement happened.
The aircraft follows the evidence
Obsidian is in design. A sub-scale physical demonstrator is planned for H1 2027, flying with inert stores. No span, mass or performance figure is claimed until independent review returns them as modelled values.
Both tracks meet at one gate
Nothing passes the programme gate on ambition. Each phase, from an integration cell to a pilot line to series production, is gated on the evidence of the one before.
What exists today?
The command layer exists as a simulation and software-in-the-loop demonstrator at TRL 3 to 4. The targeting and engagement pipeline runs against simulated sensors and simulated effectors. The aircraft is in design. A sub-scale physical demonstrator is planned for H1 2027. No live weapons have been integrated or fired. The MAVLink adapter has driven ArduPilot SITL, real autopilot software in the loop, under the same command layer.
Where is it built?
Obsidian is designed for production in Portugal from the first drawing, on an EU supply chain, free of foreign export control on the core. Site selection is open: the integration cell goes to the municipality that brings the site, the airfield access and the training partnership first. Independent technical review of the command layer runs through a national research institute, and experimentation through the Armed Forces' own channels. Institutions are named as conversations and requests; no endorsement is implied.
What is not claimed?
- No airframe performance figure: no span, mass, speed, range, endurance, ceiling or payload mass until independent review returns them as modelled values.
- No named institution, ministry, service, fund, programme, municipality or investor as partner, customer, host or backer.
- No live-weapons claim. No live weapon has been integrated or fired.
- No description of how targeting works beyond detect, classify, prioritise, engage inside human-set rules of engagement.
Frequently asked questions
What does Alea Defense & Space build?
Obsidian, a Portuguese uncrewed combat aircraft with an AI targeting and engagement core, human on the loop, and ObsidianOS, its AI mission and targeting layer, built first. It is a division of Alea Industries.
What is ObsidianOS?
ObsidianOS is the AI mission and targeting layer for Obsidian: one operator, many aircraft, autonomous engagement inside human-set rules of engagement, every engagement on an append-only, hash-linked log. Today it is a simulation and software-in-the-loop demonstrator at TRL 3 to 4, verified and replayable, with a working bridge to real autopilot software.
Does the aircraft exist yet?
No. Obsidian is in design. A sub-scale physical demonstrator is planned for H1 2027, flying with inert stores. No live weapons have been integrated or fired.
Where is Obsidian built?
In Portugal, on an EU supply chain, with the core free of foreign export control. Site selection for the integration cell is open.
Is Alea Defense & Space part of Alea Industries?
Yes. It is one of two divisions of Alea Industries. The other is Alea Applied AI, which builds and runs AI systems inside founder-led professional service firms.
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The programme, the review pathway, the site, or the demonstrator itself. If one of these has an answer we will not like, tell us.