Estonia’s DefenceTech company Threod Systems is set to supply the British Army with its Cata launch systems under the £5m (€5,7m) ASGARD programme.
With so much homegrown DefenceTech expertise, Estonia is now set to export its newest projects. This week, Estonian defence company Threod Systems has been selected to supply the British Army with its Cata pneumatic launch system under the ASGARD programme, a one-way effector (OWE) initiative developing single-use drone capabilities.
The contract, currently being finalised, is valued at just under £5 million (€5,7 million), with first deliveries expected in Q1 2026, says the official press-release.
Threod’s innovation
The Cata launcher works by giving drones a pneumatic boost at launch rather than requiring them to take off under their own power — a critical capability for heavier one-way effector platforms. The system can accelerate payloads weighing between 50 and 400 kg to speeds of up to 55 metres per second, with different UAV types accommodated via platform-specific adapters on a single launcher. This means armed forces can operate multiple drone types without procuring separate launch infrastructure for each — a meaningful logistical and cost advantage in the field.
According to the UK MoD, the Cata is currently the only launcher proven capable of supporting both ASGARD and other OWE projects, and has been described as a common interoperable solution across Defence OWE programmes.
The system was put through mobility, safety, and launch trials throughout 2025 by the British Army Trials Unit. Following successful testing, other MoD units have since requested the launcher for future OWE trials.
Threod CEO Arno Vaik called launcher systems an underappreciated but critical component of one-way effector capability. “We are pleased that the Cata launcher will now support the British Army and strengthen our cooperation with UK defence partners,” he said.
The deal is yet another export win for Estonia’s growing defence industry. Threod has now delivered products to 27 countries, including 14 NATO member states and Ukraine.
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