LAD & C-UAS

CS Group et Thales ont remporté l'appel d'offres PARADE lancé par la direction générale de l'armement (DGA). Un programme de 350 millions d'euros.

Tamir Eshel explores the tactics and equipment needed to defeat drone swarms as countering the swarm gains greater importance.

Not all enemy threats light up the sky or cost millions of dollars.

Liteye Systems, based in Denver Colorado, has announced the delivery of the first SHIELD system to the US Army (RCCTO) HEL (High energy laser) effort.

The system was delivered on time and will now be readied for deployment. Liteye was awarded the multiple-year contract to integrate its SHIELD payload into the HEL C-sUAS effort last year.

The Army, acting as the Executive Agent for C-sUAS remains focused on the elimination of UAS threats. In a May 2021 Senate Armed Services Hearing, SECARMY, Christine Wormuth, said:

“The Army needs to be very attentive to challenges like counter UAS for example.…those are absolutely areas that we need to be working on in terms of developing our capabilities and obviously being able to test our capabilities.”

The objective of the C-sUAS HEL prototype effort is to develop, integrate, manufacture, and ultimately test a prototype HEL System(s) in an operationally relevant environment. This contract enables the rapid prototyping of a near-production representative, cost-effective HEL System(s), which will be integrated with current military battle management systems.

Liteye’s SHIELD payload will provide the detection, tracking, and identification of Group 1 & 2 UAS in a range of combat environments which will utilize the new 3D SPYGLASS Radar developed in Colorado by Numerica Corporation. The HEL “hard kill” capability will be provided by a partner company and integrated with Liteye’s SHIELD payload to be tested and demonstrated during operational tests and evaluations. The platform integration of SHIELD will support the US Army’s maneuver capability in the Brigade Combat Teams and will also be compatible with robotic vehicles like Pratt & Miller’s Expeditionary Modular Autonomous Vehicle (EMAV).

“This effort represents months of focused effort by our engineering team and renews our strategic partnership with the US Army dating back to 2016 when we sent our first C-sUAS systems downrange to Iraq,” said Kenneth Geyer, CEO, and Co-Founder of Liteye Systems. “The current drone warfare raging in spots around the globe such as Ukraine and the middle east makes this delivery all that timelier.”

Liteye’s C-sUAS solutions can be layered with multiple effectors and battle management systems to Detect, Track, Identify and Defeat, threats operating in the Air, on the Ground, on the Surface, and in the Electromagnetic Spectrum. These solutions can be configured for customized Mission Platforms; fixed/semi-fixed, light vehicle/man-portable, mobile, and unmanned/uncrewed robotic vehicles. The Liteye services team provides 24/7 reach-back support, training, and system updates to ensure that the systems remain effective against the threats that are continuously increasing in complexity.

“On behalf of the Liteye team, we thank the US Army for their trust in our systems and our team as we move rapidly through the evolution of systems. We also thank our partners Numerica and Pratt & Miller along with a long list of other external stakeholders who played a part in bringing this contract to fruition,”

said Geyer. Liteye is expecting additional contracts for the SHIELD systems in the coming weeks.

*Liteye is the exclusive provider of SPYGLASS Radar.

About the Joint C-sUAS Office (JCO): In November 2019, the Secretary of Defense designated the Army as the executive agent for Counter-small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (C-sUAS) and in turn, the Secretary of the Army stood up the Joint C-sUAS Office (JCO) under a 2-Star Director within Army G-3/5/7 to address UAS threats while eliminating duplication and redundancies across the DoD.

About the Rapid Capabilities and Critical Technologies Office (RCCTO): The SECARMY assigned the Army Rapid Capabilities and Critical Technologies Office (RCCTO) as the material and acquisition support for the JCO. The JCO and RCCTO work to develop, detect, track, identify, and defeat sUAS hazards and threats using synchronized solutions across the joint service domains.

About Liteye Systems, Inc.: Colorado-based, Liteye Systems, Inc. is a world leader and technology solutions manufacturer and integrator of military and commercial Counter Unmanned Aerial Systems (CUAS) systems, manufacture of US AUDS, Drone Sense and Warn Systems, rugged high-resolution head-mounted displays (HMD), augmented sights, thermal surveillance systems, covert surveillance systems, electronic warfare packages, radar systems, and fire control software solutions. With offices in the UK and sales affiliates worldwide, Liteye is protecting critical infrastructure from real-world threats.

Photo: Liteye SHIELD Payload delivered to US Army RCCTO C-sUAS HEL Program

Source: Press Release

Israeli defense industry and military have released new footage showing new series of tests of the new laser system.

The Jerusalem Post reported that the demonstration was carried out by the Defense Ministry’s Directorate of Research and Development (DDR&D, or MAFAT in Hebrew) and Rafael Advanced Defense Systems.

During the tests, which were carried out over the past several weeks in southern Israel, the system accurately intercepted unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV’s), mortars, rockets and anti-tank missiles in different scenarios.

“We’re at a historic moment in the world of weaponry,” said Brig. Gen. Yaniv Rotem, head of the Defense Ministry’s weapons development administration, which developed the system alongside Rafael and Elbit. “For the first time, an energy weapon actually works.”

“Our mission was clear: To show that it works before the Passover holiday with all the criteria that we set,” said Rotem, adding that the series of experiments have allowed Israel to enter a “whole new era” of energy-based weapons systems.

“No one in the world has shown such capabilities. The State of Israel is the first to carry out a live firing attempt. We are in an age of new types of weapons – energy-based weapons. We are there,” he said.

Defense Minister Benny Gantz said that Israel has become one of the first countries to succeed in developing powerful laser technology at operational standards that can carry out interceptions in operational scenarios.

“Energy-based weapons with a powerful laser is, in my opinion, a very significant game-changer,” Gantz said, adding that the system “will contribute to the denial of critical enemy capabilities in all arenas.”

While Gantz said that it will still take time before it is fully operational, “for the first time ever a powerful laser system has intercepted distant targets. This achievement is because of Israeli innovation, the defense establishment, and the industries that have come together to provide an umbrella of security for the citizens of Israel.”

DroneShield Limited, an Australian/US global provider of Artificial Intelligence based platforms for protection against advanced threats such as drones and autonomous systems, has announced an enhanced version of its DroneSentry-C2 Command-and-Control software, in partnership with location intelligence firm, Nearmap.

Nearmap provides city-scale 3D content, artificial intelligence data sets, geospatial tools, and high-resolution aerial imagery in Australia, New Zealand, and North America.

DroneSentry-C2 provides an intuitive and feature-rich software platform, providing counter-UAS awareness and reporting capability. It integrates both DroneShield and third-party C-UAS sensors and effectors. Those include multiple AI-enabled sensing and tracking products, such as RfOne long-range direction-finding sensors for UAS detection and tracking, and camera-agnostic DroneOptID optical/thermal camera AI software.

DroneSentry-C2 will come with a standard mapping solution for cost-sensitive customers, and an optional Nearmap mapping upgrade for best-in-class mapping data for high-performance environments, such as Government, intelligence, Homeland Security and defence markets, when precision and quality are critical.

The system receives regular secure software updates, capitalising on years of DroneShield’s extensive experience in the C-UAS arena.

The software comes as an on-prem, air-gapped solution which focuses on intelligence, Homeland Security and defence users, or secure cloud for enterprise customers. The on-prem solution also includes a high-grade physical server. Both options come with regular mapping updates, including ability for the user to load own maps, for sensitive locations.

Oleg Vornik, DroneShield CEO, commented,

“One of DroneShield’s differentiators is that we are both a sensor manufacturer and an integrator. Providing a streamlined and standardised hard/software bundle that gives our user community an easy to deploy and run command-and-control software, will be critical, as more fixed and pop-up site users seek to deploy counter-UAS products. Importantly, the offering is already validated by deployments such as US Air Force and Australian Army, amongst number of other tier 1 end users globally.”

Dr Rob Newman, Nearmap CEO and Managing Director, said,

“Our customers tell us they prefer Nearmap because of the quality, city-scale coverage, and currency of our location intelligence offering. Combine this market-leading geo-spatial capability with DroneShield’s innovative software, and the ability to defend against the threat of autonomous aerial vehicles, including drones, is even more powerful.
Nearmap continues to drive innovation in the use of geo-spatial data and tools. This includes harnessing location intelligence to help organisations plan smart cities of the future, support the growth of greener spaces, and assist recovery efforts after major natural disasters.”

Source: Press Release

Teledyne FLIR Defense has launched a new Lightweight Vehicle Surveillance System (LVSS) with advanced Air Domain Awareness (ADA) an

The deFNder Family of Remote Weapon Stations from FN Herstal was tested for countering UAVs during the NATO Non-Lethal Technology Exercise (NNTEX-C) in Sardinia, Italy.

John Antal analyses the factors necessary for winning against drones as these aircraft become more important across all sectors.

MIDAS is an AI-enabled, multi-rotor sUAS outfitted with optical sensors and a customized payload that can defeat multiple small UAS targets per flight By Sarah Simpson / 25 Apr 2022

Aurora Flight Sciences, a Boeing Company, recently completed a project to advance the capabilities of its Modular Intercept Drone Avionics Set (MIDAS) counter-unmanned aircraft system (C-UAS). Aurora engineers designed, implemented, and tested improvements to the drone engagement device (DED) and onboard autonomy, as well as to the speed and maneuverability of the vehicle platform. Using similar test parameters to last spring’s demonstration for the Joint Counter-sUAS Office (JCO) and the Army Rapid Capabilities and Critical Technologies Office (RCCTO), MIDAS autonomously defeated 83% of small UAS targets.

“Since our successful customer demos last year, we’ve continued to improve hardware and software systems on MIDAS to ensure we are prepared to meet the needs of future counter-sUAS programs,” said Jason Grzywna, director of small UAS programs at Aurora. “The vehicle we used for the most recent tests included enhancements in agility and autonomy, which improved target acquisition, and in the bolos fired by the DED, which proved more effective in completely disabling the target.”

Originally developed under a Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) contract, MIDAS is designed specifically to mitigate adversary sUAS with low collateral effects. Cued by ground radar, the multi-rotor, AI-enabled MIDAS uses an on-board sensor to autonomously identify and track adversary targets. Once the target is identified, MIDAS fires bolo projectiles that entangle the target’s propellers and disable the vehicle without endangering bystanders.

“Aurora recognizes the importance of an effective, low-collateral effects interceptor to help mitigate threats posed by the proliferation of low-cost Group 1 drones,” said Grzywna. “With the support of the DIU, we were able to progress quickly in the development of our product solution. The DIU’s far-reaching network of government stakeholders, connection to the warfighter, and understanding of the emerging tactically relevant threats, have been essential for moving this technology from the lab to the battlefield.”

Part of the vehicle’s autonomy includes the use of perception and guidance, navigation, and control (GNC) algorithms to search for, track, and target drones within range of the vehicle’s perception sensors. These algorithms provide a localized position of the target in real time and determine how the system develops its autonomous intercept and firing solution. The vehicle then uses the information from these algorithms to provide control commands directly to the autopilot system and fire the drone engagement device.

Cambridge, UK, 13 April, 2022 –Blighter Surveillance Systems (‘Blighter’, www.blighter.com) the British designer and manufacturer of electronic-scanning radars and surveillance

Photo: Telegram Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, General Valeriy Zaluzhny, demonstrated the Israeli hand-held drone suppression system EDM-4S Skysweeper. Photo published in the News Telegram channel Armed Forces". These means to combat enemy UAVs should soon enter service with the Ukrainian troops, which are already at war with Russia. At the same time, […]

Rheinmetall has unveiled the Oerlikon AESA Multi-Mission Radar (AMMR), the company’s latest radar system, which is now ready for series production.

The Oerlikon AMMR responds to highly challenging current and emerging short- and very short-range aerial threats. It successfully detects and processes mini- and micro-Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs); incoming rockets, artillery and mortars engaging in high angle attacks; and air/surface weapons and cruise missiles. Using adaptive full digital beamforming techniques in the S-band, Oerlikon AMMR automatically detects, classifies and tracks the full spectrum of aerial threats.

Rheinmetall Italia’s Oerlikon AMMR is a state-of-the-art modular radar offering superior performance and ease of operation as well as integration into a wide range of platforms. It can track and classify multiple threats simultaneously, and is designed to operate in stationary mode or on the move, under gruelling environmental and jamming conditions.

The radar features cutting-edge electronic counter-countermeasures and is fully software defined, with a configuration capable of adapting to the specific operational scenario. It can be easily upgraded in future to keep pace with evolving threat scenarios.

En Ukraine, le gouvernement essaie d’obtenir le blocage d’un système chinois de localisation de drones civils. Le vice-Premier ministre ukrainien affirme que l’armée russe détourne cette technologie, baptisée AeroScope, pour viser pilotes de drones et civils avec ses missiles.

Saab reveals its finalised Mobile Short Range Air Defence System (MSHORAD) to meet the evolving and proliferating air threats over the battlefield.

A wide range of established airborne threats such as fighters, helicopters, and missiles are being joined by newer threats such as armed UAV’s and loitering munitions. The need to both detect and counter them all, while deploying with speed and mobility, has been at the forefront of Saab’s MSHORAD system development. Based on RBS 70 NG and Giraffe 1X multi-mission 3D radar respectively, MSHORAD’s vehicle-based Mobile Firing Unit (MFU) and Mobile Radar Unit (MRU), combined with a Saab command and control (C2) system, are designed and available from Saab as its MSHORAD air defence system.
click n image to enlarge

MSHORAD’s rapid mobility provides for a tactical advantage to be exploited on the battlefield or to avoid enemy fires. It delivers a 360°, 75 km situational awareness and the capability to target the most challenging UAV threats thanks to Giraffe’s Drone Tracker, an enhanced functionality for low, slow and small objects. The ability to destroy attackers comes from the unjammable RBS 70 NG missile system that operates at day and night, with rapid reloading in the field. MSHORAD’s ease of integration means customers can choose from a wide range of vehicle types. It also has a dismounted capability such as from atop buildings where it can provide an additional form of operational advantage.

“With the evolved threats, such as the expansion of military UAVs, it’s a great milestone to have a fully working system ready to be offered to our customers. The combination of our first-class range and altitude coverage of the Mobile Firing Unit, together with the small size and multi-role capabilities of Giraffe 1X makes our MSHORAD solution the most modern and state-of-the-art solution out there,” says Mats-Olof Rydberg, head of Marketing and Sales at Saab’s business unit Missile Systems.
Successful system integration and test firings have already been conducted in the last 12 months in cooperation with the Czech company SVOS using their new generation of modular armoured vehicle 4×4 named MARS. Live firing demonstrations will be performed for potential customers in the near future.

Elkridge, MD, March 29, 2022― Teledyne FLIR Defense, part of Teledyne Technologies Incorporated (NYSE:TDY), today announced the launch of a