PARIS – The British army has successfully tested a radio weapon to eliminate drone swarms, while soldiers are looking for new ways to neutralize what has become one of the greatest threats in the modern battlefield.
The army was able to defeat drone swarms for the first time during the last trial of the demonstrator of the arms system, said the Ministry of Defense statement THURSDAY. The weapon, developed by a consortium led by Thales UK, uses high frequency radio waves to fry drone interns, disturb or damage critical electronic components and cause crushing or dysfunction of drones.
The soldiers of the 106 Royal Artillery Royal shot two swarms of drones in a single commitment using the weapon, and more than 100 drones were immobilized to all tests, said the MOD. Radio-frequency weapon with directed energy was able to neutralize several drone targets simultaneously with a close effect, he said.
The United Kingdom has invested more than 40 million pounds of Sterling (53 million US dollars) in the research and development of radio-lade weapons to date, he said. With an estimated cost of 10 pence per shooting drawn, “if it is transformed into an operational service, it could provide profitable supplement to the air defense systems based on traditional missiles,” said the government.
Energy weapons systems led by radio-frequency can overcome airborne targets to ranges up to 1 kilometer (0.62 mile) and are effective against targets that cannot be blocked using the electronic war, according to the government.
These systems could help protect security areas such as the defense bases of unidentified drones, as well as to play a role in the prevention of disturbances in airports, the government said. Drone observations have caused airport closings worldwide in recent years.
The demonstrator’s weapon was quick to learn and easy to use, according to the SGT testimony. Mayers, an operator of a distance a distance from a distance from the 106 Royal Artillery Regiment, who marked history as the first British soldier to drop drones using a radiofrequency weapon.
The trail was carried out in Defence Range Manorbier, a live range in the southwest of Wales. The goal of the project is to develop a weapon that allows the army to test integration challenges and operational challenges of the establishment of a radio-frequency, administration, or RF weapon system, the government said.
Thales has around 100 engineering and manufacturing employees in Northern Ireland working on the project, with 30 to 35 additional supply chain jobs in ESSEX in eastern England, according to the mod.
“Thales continues to be at the forefront of this pioneering technology, and we are proud to continue research and development in this sector alongside our government partners,” said Nigel MacVean, CEO of Thales Integrated Airpace Protection Systems.
The MOD said that it worked with a range of industry partners to provide British forces with future RF dew.
Rudy Ruitenberg is corresponding in Europe for Defense. He began his career at Bloomberg News and has a report on technology, raw materials and politics.
