Counter-UAS (C-UAS)

Integrating counter-UAV capability in it’s Very Short Range Air Defense (VSORAD) ‘Red Sky’ system IMI Israel now supports counter-UAV capability as part of the air defense mission. The new system called 'Drone Defender' had gone through extensive testing in January; tests included operations in day, night and adverse weather conditions.

The failed assassination attempt in Caracas, Venezuela highlight the potential of drones as a weapon and a tool of terror, and the vulnerability of critical assets, even where drone countermeasures are active.

The SkyLord family employs XTend’s edge technology with cognitive skills to safely perform dangerous missions. The system uses augmented reality (AR) guidance and control technology to enable an operator to perform complex missions with great ease and precision, using an AR vision system and a single-handed controller. This telepresence interface enables operators to immerse themselves and “step into” a remote reality and engage targets effectively yet safely.

Aware of the growing threat of bomb-laden mini drones that recently emerged in Iraq and Syria, the US Army is rushing to field countermeasures and kinetic effects designed specifically to defeat drones. DRS and Moog are cooperating with RADA to demonstrate such 'hard kill' system for testing in October.

The Australian company DroneShield announced the first sale of its DroneGun tactical drone jammer to a government in the middle east. As a point-and-shoot weapon, the DroneGun is designed to be effective against a wide variety of drones. By neutralizing drones from a safe distance, DroneGun offers advantages over alternative kinetic solutions such as nets or bullets, as it allows for safe handling of situations such as drones carrying explosives or biological payloads.

Israel's defense electronics company RADA was recently awarded an order to supply tactical radar systems for a national alert system

Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) and Iron Drone today announced that they have entered a collaboration agreement for the integration of Iron Drone's interception capabilities into IAI’s advanced anti-drone system, Drone Guard. The system can deploy several intercepting drones simultaneously, thus addressing multiple threats or swarms. The Iron Drone interceptor uses sensors and Artificial Intelligence (AI) based computer vision to home and locks on the target and homes-in up to the physical contact.

The Royal Air Force has selected Leonardo to support the next stage of their research and development program, exploring the current and future threat posed by hostile drones, and evaluating a range of technologies for counter-drone capability. The three-year program will commence in early 2020. Leonardo counter-drone technology has already seen use with the RAF and is under contract for the Italian Army and Air Force. In 2018 and 2019, following drone sightings at Gatwick and Heathrow airports, elements of Leonardo’s counter-drone technology were deployed by the RAF to allow airport operations to resume.

Determined to meet the challenge of hostile Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS), the US Army acquired a number of countermeasures able to defeat such threats using electronic warfare.

IAI introduced today the 'POPSTAR', a persistent surveillance sensor using an EOIR camera array to automatically detect and track small, flying or moving targets in the air and on the ground, track those targets and designate the targets deemed suspicious and dangerous for engagement by countermeasures and weapons.

General Robotics, the Israeli designer of Light Weight RCWS Systems and tactical robotics, displays advanced integrations of the company’s systems over platforms from several manufacturers. The systems are displayed by several leading integrators participating in the IDEX defense exhibition and NAVDEX naval expo opening today in Abu Dhabi.

Israel's 'Iron Beam' high-power laser air and missile defense system is moving forward, following today's IMOD decision to add hundreds of millions NIS to fund the full-scale development. More investment will be allocated for production and fielding. of the high-power laser system designed to intercept rockets, mortars, and UAVs. According to Rafael's CEO, Maj. Gen. (Res.) Yoav Har-Even, “the ‘Iron Beam’ system, is the most powerful laser system of its kind in the world."

A drone detection and neutralization system that detects, identifies, tracks and neutralizes different types of drones at a designated airspace developed by Elbit Systems

Rheinmetall Defense has introduced another variant of its Skyranger air defense weapon system, the Skyranger 30 HEL - a mobile, hybrid solution mounting the company's 30mm AHEAD with a laser onboard. As a hybrid solution, the Skyranger 30 HEL is designed to thwart the full range of current and future airborne threats. The interplay of a 30mm automatic cannon, guided missiles, and a high-energy laser (HEL) results in a mix of effectors unique in this combination. The Skyranger HEL was presented in public for the first time at a counter-drone event held last year by the Swiss procurement agency armasuisse in Bure, Switzerland.