The British army says it killed a drone swarm using a radiave-based energy weapon in a first for technology in the United Kingdom.
In a range of weapons not disclosed in Wales, radiofrequency led Energy Weapon, or RF-Dew, followed and killed the swarm during the trial, and worked with “a close effect,” said the Ministry of Defense on Thursday.
RF-Dew has been demonstrated in previous trials as being effective from more than 1,000 meters.
But – like the biggest test of this type in the United Kingdom to date – it was the first time that he had a swarm of drones fell.
RF-DEW is developed by a consortium led by the French manufacturer Thales, who nicknamed the “RapidDestroyer” technology during the tests.
Thales has also collaborated with the French and British defense ministries on the MMCM Naval Mine countermeasures that is being deployed this year.
RF-DEW uses high frequency radio waves to disrupt or damage electronic components inside drones, in what Thales has described as a “hard kill” mechanism. This contrasts with existing systems that blur or confuse drones, said Thales.
Technology is considered to be a low -cost partner in large -scale air defense systems on a large -scale, and only costs the shooting, according to the mod.
The British army conducted the trials against 100 small quadcopter drones, of two types: the Boresight Raider, a drone with swarm capacities designed specifically for use in counter-ground technological trials, and Parrot Anafi, a standard commercial drone camera.
The SGT Mayers, the British officer who dropped drones, said the system was “quick to learn and easy to use”.
“With improvements in the distribution area and power, which could pay further development, it would be an excellent asset for diaper defense,” added Mayers.
This is in a context of the invasion of Ukraine by Russia, which has experienced major progress in the use of drones in combat.
Drone swarms – where drone groups act independently or semi -autonomous and concert with each other – are still in their infancy, Ukrainian companies that have tested swarms designed to resist the Russian electronic war.
The RF-Dew trial is part of a pressure to increase new technologies of the British defense capacity. It is currently not planned to deploy the system in Ukraine, said the mod.
In early April, the British government announced a fund of 400 million pounds Sterling, or $ 530 million, Fund for Defense Innovation, with 10% of the MOD equipment budget which will be anchored for the new technology.
