Named the Stationary and Mobile UAS Reveal and Intercept, the system combines beyond-visual-line-of-sight communication with advanced command-and-control capabilities to effectively detect, track, and counter drone swarms.

It integrates cutting-edge components, such as radars, radio frequency defeat capabilities, and AI-driven detectors for enhanced threat monitoring.

The weapon can be mounted on vehicles or deployed in fixed positions to protect high-value assets.

According to Honeywell electronic warfare director Norm Balchunas, the system can detect and neutralize drones while traveling at speeds reaching 70 miles (112 kilometers) per hour.

That capability is significant, he noted, because detecting a low, slow drone that suddenly accelerates poses a considerable challenge.

‘Multi-Layered Defensive Capabilities’

Unlike other counter-UAS solutions, the Stationary and Mobile UAS Reveal and Intercept system features multi-layered defensive capabilities to address multiple threats simultaneously.

It can disable drones by launching a kinetic interceptor, utilizing a directed energy weapon, or employing a soft kill method to disrupt their radio frequency.

AI also plays a crucial role in the system, enabling rapid threat detection in crowded environments and accelerating human operators’ decision-making.

“[The operators] got to make a decision. What target path is that? What effector should I use? Is this authorized within my rules of engagement?” Balchunas said. “Using AI, I can implement my rules of engagement so they’re automated.”

Honeywell is set to demonstrate the ground-breaking system to the US Air Force in January 2025.

The post Honeywell Unveils AI-Enabled System for Countering Drone Swarms appeared first on The Defense Post.

The system reportedly detected and tracked the moving targets before firing AIM-9X Sidewinder missiles to complete the intercepts.

It also demonstrated its ability to operate with the Integrated Battle Command System and the Sentinel A3 air and missile defense radar to effectively neutralize the targets.

According to Leidos Vice President Dino Pusinsky, the test underscored the company’s commitment to helping the US Army stay ahead of adversaries.

It also “marks another major step forward in evaluating the overall operational capability and lethality” of the cutting-edge weapon system.

Indirect Fire Protection Capability

In September 2021, Leidos accepted a contract to develop a ground-based weapon system as part of the US Army’s Indirect Fire Protection Capability (IFPC) Increment 2 program.

The weapon is envisioned as a key component of a layered solution for protecting critical civilian and military infrastructure.

Enduring Shield is designed to bridge the gap between the service’s tactical short-range air defense systems and the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system.

In December 2023, the weapon showcased its ability to fire an experimental AIM-9X missile interceptor for the first time.

Leidos is now conducting hardware upgrades to further mature the system as part of a new contract awarded by the US Army.

“We believe this award will let us showcase the ability of the IFPC Inc. 2 system to transform warfighting capabilities as it progresses toward being declared operationally ready for our warfighters,” company senior vice president Larry Barisciano said.

The post Leidos’ Enduring Shield Intercepts Drone, Cruise Missile in Flight Test appeared first on The Defense Post.

For the event, the Texas-based startup deployed its Bullfrog robotic weapon system developed for autonomous scanning and neutralization of drone threats.

A live fire demonstration was held on each day of the  two-week conference, with the gun “consistently” defeating targets on single or multi-drone engagements “in rapid succession.”

The trials concluded with the technology exhibiting its “low cost, low weight, size, and power” application for accurate and effective anti-drone attacks within seconds.

ACS’ Steven Simoni commented that the tests validated the Bullfrog’s capability, which “has been a near-impossibility until now … to autonomously shoot drones out of the sky with a solution that doesn’t cost the DoD millions of dollars to procure or arm.”

“This means that there is now a solution to address the urgent threat of low-flying, cheap drones that have changed the battlefield,” Simoni explained.

‘Significant Milestone’

The company’s co-founder and CEO also expressed gratitude for having an opportunity to participate in a Joint Warfighting Concepts-related military event just two years after ACS’ launch.

The Indiana event was attended by more than 30 representatives from Pentagon stakeholders, Congress, and primary C-UAS program offices.

“We are grateful to the Defense Department for providing the opportunity to showcase our system,” Simoni stated.

“The Bullfrog system’s successful performance during the [Technology Readiness Experimentation 2024] event marks a significant milestone on the path toward deployment, supporting our mission to accelerate the defense industry’s transition to advanced, cost-effective technologies that protect US military and allies on the battlefield.”

The Bullfrog

ACS’ Bullfrog is offered in a gun turret configuration with features to address class 1 to 3 UAS platforms.

The 400-pound (181-kilogram) weapon functions in both automatic and semi-automatic modes with a less than two percent false negative rate in fully passive detection.

Additionally, its lightweight design enables users to mount the system onto NATO-standard military vehicles.

The Bullfrog combines computer vision, artificial intelligence, and the M240 machine gun to enable precision firing using 7.62-millimeter rounds.

The post Texas Startup Demos Anti-Drone Gun appeared first on The Defense Post.

The assessment was made during a recent training exercise that aimed to test the country’s counter-drone capabilities and identify air defense issues that need to be addressed.

Duan Xiaolong, a member of an unnamed PLA regiment, told state broadcaster CCTV that his unit only achieved a 40-percent hit rate during the first round of artillery strikes against multiple drone targets.

He said UAVs naturally have the speed, size, and ability to change flight trajectories, making it difficult for gunners to neutralize them individually or in a swarm.

According to a military commentator, the artillery used in the training exercise may have been older models from the 1990s or 2000s.

These weapons apparently have outdated technology against drone swarms, compromising both their accuracy and operational safety.

Growing Significance

Global investments in counter-drone capabilities have soared amid multiple geopolitical conflicts.

UAVs have become a key feature in the Ukraine and Gaza wars, dramatically altering battlefield tactics and providing enhanced reconnaissance.

In anticipation of the pivotal role of drones in future conflicts, many countries including the US have ramped up their spending to address these threats.

Last week, the US Army received its first EAGLS laser-guided counter-drone system featuring the Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System II.

NATO countries in Europe have also bolstered their air defenses, with Poland unveiling the HAASTA drone-killing UAV and the UK testing a truck-mounted directed-energy weapon.

For its part, Beijing has urged its defense industry to ramp up production of smarter and more efficient anti-drone weapons, including jammers and lasers.

The post China’s Anti-Aircraft Weapons Register Low Success Rate Against Drone Swarm appeared first on The Defense Post.

Six systems have been contracted in support of the “forward deployed forces facing emerging and persistent uncrewed aerial systems threats,” the North Carolina-based firm stated.

The contract was awarded by the Naval Air Systems Command through the Rapid Acquisition Authority, including associated engineering and maintenance support. 

An earlier US Department of Defense contract notice stated that the company was contracted to deliver five EAGLS to the US Central Command Area of Responsibility, including the Middle East, Central Asia, and parts of South Asia. 

“We are incredibly honored to receive this award for our EAGLS, as we know it will save lives and protect critical infrastructure,” MSI Defense Solutions CEO Nguyen Trinh said.

“This recognition is a testament to the unwavering commitment and expertise of our team, who continuously strive for excellence in everything they do.” 

Fires Laser-Guided Rockets

The EAGLS, or Electronic Advanced Ground Launcher System, comprises a remote weapon station, Leonardo’s RPS-40 Multi-Mission Hemispheric radar, and a sensor turret with electro-optical and infrared cameras.

The weapon station features a 70mm rocket launcher that uses laser-guided rockets such as the Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System II with a range of 10 kilometers (6 miles), identical to the RPS-40 radar’s detection range.

The system is available in mobile and palletized versions and can be employed in a variety of environments.

The post US Army Receives First EAGLS Laser-Guided Counter-Drone System appeared first on The Defense Post.

The trial, which took place in a region bordering Russia, saw Norwegian soldiers from a new air defense unit called BLV shooting the weapon upwards.

It was not immediately clear what was used as a representative target or if the missile was able to achieve all its test objectives.

However, the Norwegian military said the Piorun provides a “significant boost to our layered air defense” and will cause enemies to reconsider entering the country’s airspace.

“For the enemy, this means that they must deal with such a threat. They have to fly higher, fly on the flanks, or maybe they won’t even dare to fly at all,” Finnmark Land Defence Commander Colonel Jørn Qviller said.

The Norwegian Army's first live-fire test with the new MANPADS enhances our defence against drones and helicopters. Now deployed in Finnmark, with plans to expand, Piorun forces enemies to reconsider entering Norwegian airspace. A significant boost to our layered air defence. pic.twitter.com/4igv4uEv7H

— Norwegian Armed Forces | Forsvaret (@Forsvaret_no) August 16, 2024

First Layer of Defense

The Piorun (lightning in English) will become a part of Oslo’s layered approach to neutralizing low-flying enemy helicopters and drones.

It is designed to form the first layer of defense, with the aim of forcing enemies to alter their tactics or abandon their missions.

The weapon can be operated by a single soldier and has a fire-and-forget feature to avoid enemy counter-fire.

It can reportedly hit targets up to 6.5 kilometers (4 miles) away at altitudes reaching 4 kilometers (2.5 miles).

The Norwegian Armed Forces began receiving the man-portable systems in December 2023 and has since stationed them in the northern region of Finnmark.

After the live-fire test, the country plans to distribute the infrared-guided missile to other army divisions.

The post Norway’s Piorun Air Defense System Completes First Live-Fire Test appeared first on The Defense Post.

The demonstration was held nearly three months after China showed off its own version of a weapon-carrying robot dog at the onset of its joint military exercise with Cambodia.

A Ghost Robotics Vision 60, the American Q-UGV features an AR-15-type rifle mounted on a small turret on top of its front end.

It also has a relatively large objective lens and electro-optical targeting system that aids in accurately finding targets.

Furthermore, the rifle-toting robot dog appeared to be carrying a laser aiming device on its side and a high-performance camera similar to a GoPro on its rear.

A Ghost Robotics’ Vision 60 quadrupedal unmanned ground vehicle (Q-UGV) armed with an AR-15/M16-type carbine is among the counter-drone capabilities being demonstrated at the U.S. Army’s Fort Drum in New York as part of what has been dubbed Operation Hard Kill. pic.twitter.com/dRxKUqYZMV

— Katherine Champagne (@keccers) August 8, 2024

The armed version of the Vision 60 is reportedly an anti-drone system, with its sensors supposed to detect hostile unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) then shoot them down using the rifle.

AI-Enabled

Ghost Robotics’ Vision 60 is a mid-sized, all-weather UGV enabled by artificial intelligence (AI).

It was developed to help the military reach areas otherwise inaccessible to ground vehicles and keep soldiers out of harm’s way.

Weighing only 112 pounds (51 kilograms), the robot dog can travel at speeds reaching 3 meters (10 feet) per second with maximum runtime of 3 hours.

During Operation Hard Kill, the rifle-armed Vision 60 demonstrated its ability to maneuver and aim its AI-enabled weapon autonomously.

Representatives from the army and its industry partners monitored the activity and reviewed the robot’s targeting data.

Chinese Version

A video taken during the China-Cambodia military exercise showed a four-legged robot’s ability to walk, hop, lie down, and move backward like a real canine.

It also demonstrated its ability to lead an infantry unit in penetrating a representative enemy building.

American lawmakers immediately sounded the alarm on the new Chinese innovation, requiring the Pentagon to assess its potential application in future conflicts.

PLA showcased two robot dogs — including one with a QBZ-95 assault rifle mounted on its back — during the 15-day China-Cambodia Golden Dragon 2024 joint military exercises that began on May 16. pic.twitter.com/b75K26BWzo

— Byron Wan (@Byron_Wan) May 27, 2024

The post After China, US Unveils Rifle-Toting Robot Dogs appeared first on The Defense Post.

The Arlington-based firm disclosed that the weapon “completed multiple rounds of testing,” including the successful firing of its dual-thrust, solid rocket motor.

This milestone, it said, demonstrates the missile’s technological maturity and readiness to help the US Army combat increasing drone threats.

It also significantly reduces the technical and scheduling risks associated with rapid development programs.

In June 2024, BlueHalo announced that it had been down-selected by the army as one of two vendors to move forward with its development of the NGCM.

‘Beyond Current Capabilities’

The NGCM program was launched amid the increasing national security threats posed by the proliferation of small drones.

BlueHalo said its Freedom Eagle “goes beyond current capabilities” to effectively defeat these threats.

It reportedly offers a low-cost effector with superior maneuverability, making it a suitable Short-Range Air Defense (SHORAD) solution.

The missile is also compatible with existing infrastructure and command-and-control systems.

“[Freedom Eagle] doesn’t just meet today’s challenges; it evolves with them,” BlueHalo Armed Forces Portfolio President Jimmy Jenkins said.

“We’re providing warfighters with increased range, reduced time-to-target, and rapid launch capabilities,” added BlueHalo Chief Growth Officer James Batt.

The post BlueHalo Hits Critical Milestone for US Army’s Next-Gen Anti-Drone Missile appeared first on The Defense Post.

Described by the service as its “most challenging counter-drone systems test to date,” the test aimed to evaluate the command-and-control capabilities of its available C-sUAS weapons.

These systems include radio frequency scanners and jammers, electro-optical/infrared cameras, kinetic interceptor drones, and guided rockets.

The task was to be able to quickly differentiate the swarming targets and neutralize the most dangerous threat first, the army’s Joint Counter-Small Unmanned Systems Office (JCO) explained.

The service used a wide array of threat profiles for the demonstration, including rotary-wing, fixed-wing, slow-moving, and even propeller-powered drones.

“You’ve got so many [UAS] coming at you… You don’t want to obviously engage the target multiple times,” JCO acquisition chief Col. Michael Parent said.

‘A Layered Approach’

The US Army acknowledges the significant threat posed by small drones to its global operations.

It said these systems are now being used by enemy forces to carry out targeted attacks and collect reconnaissance at low cost.

With the recent demonstration, the service argued that it was able to assess how each of its available C-sUAS sensed and identified different types of threats.

“The challenge of the profile really meant that no one characteristic, no one capability, whether kinetic or non-kinetic, in itself could really defeat this kind of a profile,” Parent said.

“You really do need a full system-of-systems approach, a layered approach, because we’re talking about a very large profile… coming out from different angles, different speeds, and different sizes.”

The JCO said all nine counter-drone systems showed greater speed and recognition of threats compared to previous demonstrations held from 2021 to 2023.

The post US Army Conducts ‘Most Challenging Counter-Drone Test to Date’ appeared first on The Defense Post.

This as the Marine Corps Systems Command issued a formal notice to potential vendors who can deliver rifle-mounted solutions for detecting, identifying, tracking, and defeating hostile drones.

These include radio frequency and global positioning system jammers, ammunition, and advanced rifle optics that lock onto an incoming drone.

According to the notice, the attachment should allow infantrymen to effectively defend themselves against group 1 and 2 unmanned aerial systems (UAS).

Group 1 UAS refers to drones weighing less than 20 pounds (9.1 kilograms) such as the RQ-11 Raven, while Group 2 drones are those that weigh 21 to 55 pounds (9.5 to 25 kilograms) like Boeing’s ScanEagle.

“With the proliferation of UAS as a threat on the modern battlefield, Marines require the ability to maintain awareness … and conduct self-defense against threat UAS,” the notice wrote. “Every unit down to the individual Marine, regardless of geographic location on the battlefield, is vulnerable [to drone attacks].”

Squad and Platoon-Level Solutions

The US Marine Corps said it is looking for anti-UAS attachments that are suitable for squad and platoon-level organizations.

For squad level, solutions may include a non-kinetic, directional jammer and a passive detection system that can sense an incoming drone’s radio frequency.

External, body-worn components such as tablets, bracelets, earpieces, or glasses can also be utilized for receiving alerts, warnings, or notifications.

Meanwhile, platoon-level solutions may require non-kinetic, omni-directional jammers and bigger, more sophisticated sensors.

These components can be vehicle or tripod mounted.

The service has made it clear that potential solutions must be able to effectively operate in adverse weather and operational conditions, including snowy, rainy, dusty, and low light.

Vendors should also be able to provide training, integration, testing, production, and maintenance support if selected.

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