Two leading Portuguese companies, UAVision and OPTIMAL GROUP – through its dedicated defence division, OPTIMAL PROTECTION – are jointly developing a lightweight ballistic protection solution, in composite materials, for the recently unveiled Multipurpose Autonomous Vehicle (MPAV) “LINCE”, fully designed and manufactured in Portugal by UAVision.
in OPTIMAL Group, 08-07-2025
Unveiled during the 2025 edition of ARTEX – Army Technological Experimentation, held at the Santa Margarida Military Camp, the LINCE is a state-of-the-art 6×6 unmanned ground vehicle (UGV), weighing four tonnes and equipped with twin launchers for UAVision’s “Elanus” drones. Designed for operational flexibility, LINCE features a modular architecture, electric propulsion (up to 540 kW peak power), and a range of up to 120 km.
OPTIMAL PROTECTION is supplying a lightweight, certified ballistic solutions, aligned with the highest NATO STANAG standards (up to L4), ensuring superior protection without compromising mobility – a critical factor for autonomous military platforms.
“It is a pleasure for OPTIMAL to collaborate in the development of advanced ballistic composite solutions for a fully Portuguese vehicle such as the MPAV LINCE. This strategic collaboration with UAVision allows us to further strengthen our certified capabilities in protection systems, applied to real-world, mission-critical platform,” said António Reis, Director of OPTIMAL GROUP.
“We are honoured to count on OPTIMAL GROUP, through its defence division, for the ballistic protection of the LINCE. The use of advanced composite materials ensures an optimal balance between weight and protection, fully compliant with NATO standards, and reflects the best of Portuguese innovation,”
said Nuno Simões, CEO of UAVision.
This collaboration highlights the strength of Portugal’s industrial and technological base in defence, reinforcing the nation’s ability to develop, integrate, and deploy high-end solutions for modern warfare and security scenarios.
Developed and Made in Portugal.
Photo credit: Image selected and edited by “Espada & Escudo” from video footage courtesy of UAVision.
