In barely fifteen months of existence, Harmattan AI opens the way to new tech defense startups with an unprecedented pace in this sector in France. Created in April 2024, the startup first distinguished itself by winning, on June 30, 2025, a strategic market awarded by the General Directorate of Armament (DGA) with the supply of 1,000 micro-drones of the fighter intended to equip the army. A few days later, she announced the signing of a second contract, this time with a government of NATO.
A new industrial generation
Harmattan Ai embodies a break in the tech defense landscape. Where traditional development cycles are spread over several years, the startup is part of an accelerated execution. In just over a year, it went from concept to production, developing two products, with a reconnaissance micro-drone, selected by the DGA, and the Gobi, an autonomous interceptor drone designed to neutralize prowlled ammunition like the Shahed-136.
This acceleration is based on a hybrid approach with a DNA centered software on on -board AI, industrial integration thought for war conditions, and a product positioning very close to immediate operational needs.
Lightened procedure, immediate impact
The call for tenders won by Harmattan AI in June 2025 illustrates the strategic turn wanted by Emmanuel Macron. Posted at the end of February, it contained only twenty requirements, with an unusually short format for the military universe, in order to aim A low unit cost And A tightened production period. Pre -contractual trials, limited to half a day per candidate, made it possible to assess the maturity of systems in real condition.
With 1.8 kg,, 40 minutes of autonomyand a 2 kilometersthe drone of the fighter developed by Harmattan meets the expectations of rapid deployment in a disputed environment. It will be delivered in October 2025 to the units participating in The Orion 2026 exercisebefore being generalized to operational preparation.
The gobi, the French response to the drone war
In parallel, Harmattan Ai revealed the Gobian autonomous interceptor designed for anti-drone control. Capable of detecting, targeting and neutralizing a threat in less than a minute, the Gobi responds to growing demand for agile air protection. Integrable to C2 systems (Command & Control), it communicates with other sensors to limit fratricidal shots. Its vocation goes beyond the battlefield and can be used for civil purposes, such as protection critical infrastructure In France.
This logic ofReal timeinteroperable, evolving, marks a break with hardware architectures until now used. The gobi thus illustrates a generation of systems Software-Definedcapable of adapting to continuous emerging threats.
Founded in 2023, Harmattan AI is developed by the company Deep mine Created by M’Ghari Mouad (X, ENS, MIT). The startup has lifted Several million euros in capital Since its creation, with the support of funds as Atlantic Labs,, Kima Ventures And W Ventures.
