JUNGHANS Defence

Florian Kunz, Head of Business Development

JUNGHANS Defence approaches this challenge with unusual depth. With full in-house capability across development, production, testing and core technologies, it builds fuzing solutions as integrated systems rather than assembled parts.

Formed as a joint-venture between Diehl Defence (Germany) and Thales (France), it brings together more than a century of European fuzing heritage, consolidating expertise that traces back to the early 1900s into a single, integrated platform. Because the joint venture is structured to operate without favouring either shareholder, it functions not as an internal supplier to either parent, but as an independent fuze house serving a wide range of programs.

Built on integrated in-house expertise across core fuzing disciplines, JUNGHANS Defence supports a wide range of applications. Its portfolio spans artillery, rockets, missiles, air-delivered munitions, mines, torpedoes and newer applications such as loitering munitions and one-way effectors, supported across multiple architectures, from traditional mechanical designs to advanced electronic systems. Across the entire portfolio, systems are developed in line with NATO STANAG and MIL-SPEC requirements, embedding interoperability and qualification rigor directly into the engineering process.

JUNGHANS Defence’s expertise relies on three competence centres. Its German headquarters leads micro-mechanics and system integration, while its French centre in La Ferté-Saint-Aubin near Orléans focuses on electronics, high-frequency systems and hardened solutions. Its third competence centre in Troisdorf, Germany, focuses on pyrotechnics and detonator technologies. That allows JUNGHANS Defence to pair portfolio breadth with deep technical specialisation at the points where development and production actually happen.

“Being broad does not mean we are not specialised. We have the best of both worlds, with all core fuzing competencies in-house, which allows us to respond quickly without losing control over safety or reliability,” says Florian Kunz, Head of Business Development.

Modular Architectures for Rapid Integration

SESAM allows JUNGHANS Defence to integrate across loitering munition platforms without redesigning the fuze architecture.

It uses a modular development philosophy, where core elements of the fuze are built as reusable building blocks. Fuzes can be configured and recombined depending on the application.

The advantage lies in how these elements are brought together. JUNGHANS Defence draws from an established set of components already tested and validated across programs. These modules can be adapted to different calibres and use cases, compressing development timelines while maintaining consistency in performance. This extends to how JUNGHANS Defence work with partners, enabling collaborative integration models depending on program requirements. The result is the ability to respond to evolving requirements without restarting development.

Engineering Reliability through Layered Redundancy

JUNGHANS Defence products are designed to encompass layered redundancies for reliable operation under real-world conditions.

A fuze is not defined by its primary mode of operation alone. In proximity fuzing, for instance, where detonation is triggered by distance to a target, backup mechanisms ensure performance is not dependent on a single pathway. If the primary function does not activate as expected, an impact-based fallback provides an additional layer of assurance.

Making this redundancy particularly effective is the deliberate separation of technologies. JUNGHANS Defence splits primary and backup functions across mechanical and electronic architectures. If an electronic system is compromised due to power loss or interference, a mechanically driven backup remains unaffected, reducing the risk of simultaneous failure across functions. In high-volume and high-cadence applications, a further layer is added through self-destruct functions, which activate if neither the primary nor backup mechanisms trigger, minimising the risk of unexploded ordnance while preserving operational intent.

A firm distinction is maintained between functional reliability and safety. Overall functional reliability is engineered to reach approximately 98 percent under real-world conditions.

Safety is treated as an absolute design requirement. Modular safe-and-arm devices are maintained across different munition classes, enabling faster development cycles while drawing on proven internal building blocks. This approach carries through into manufacturing, where safety-critical functions are assessed during production rather than only at final inspection. Each unit is validated for functional performance before delivery, reinforcing consistency over time and supporting the reliability standards expected in operational environments.

“Safety is non-negotiable. In over a decade, we have not recorded a single safety-relevant incident with our fuzes in the field,” adds Kunz.

Purpose-Built for a Changing Battlefield

JUNGHANS Defence is developing its fuzing system for a more contested battlespace. These systems have to endure higher mechanical stress, resist heavier electronic interference and perform across mission profiles that are becoming harder to predict.

It is extending its capabilities into high-G environments, stronger resistance to electronic countermeasures and navigation approaches that move beyond sole reliance on satellite-based systems. That includes terrain-based and optical guidance methods designed for GPS-denied conditions.

A concrete example of this direction is SESAM, a modular electronic safe-and-arm device developed specifically for loitering munitions and one-way effectors. In a category where safety and standardisation have often lagged behind a rapid adoption pace, SESAM was designed to align with established requirements while remaining cost-sensitive and achievable within compressed timelines.

The development cycle ran to approximately two years, with market readiness reached in 2026. Demand has been strong from the outset with multiple launch programs underway and first serial deliveries planned before year-end. Application in programs such as TDW's Lion Strike warhead offers a publicly available reference point for how the system is being integrated into emerging platforms.

At the same time, JUNGHANS Defence does not treat technological progression as a one-directional shift toward electronics. Certain applications continue to favour mechanical or hybrid architectures, particularly where resistance to interference, robustness under extreme conditions or production depth remain decisive factors. Maintaining expertise across all three architectural approaches allows JUNGHANS Defence to match technology to function.

Mechanical precision remains central to JUNGHANS Defence’s engineering approach, alongside continued advances in electronic and programmable fuzing systems. Built on long-standing expertise rooted in the Black Forest region, the company continues to combine precision engineering with evolving operational requirements, which is why Aerospace and Defense Review Europe recognises it as Fuzing Systems Manufacturer of the Year for 2026.