Sponsored by Blighter Surveillance Systems
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08 Sep 22. D-Fend Solutions and Liteye Systems Integrate Counter-UAS Systems. D-Fend Solutions, the leader in radio frequency (RF), cyber-based, counter-drone takeover technology, and Liteye Systems, a technology provider and integrator of C-UAS systems, today announced a system integration between EnforceAir and SHIELD for a Multi-Domain Defense System called SHIELD-Cyber. This collaboration will enable the Liteye SHIELD system to use the radio frequency cyber detection and defeat capabilities of EnforceAir, D-Fend Solutions’ flagship product, to improve detection and broaden the operator response to all C-UAS threats.
With the integration of SHIELD and EnforceAir, Liteye Systems and D-Fend Solutions will offer an enhanced multilayered systems solution to address today’s complex drone threats from both RF control and RF silent waypoint navigation. The combined capability of SHIELD-Cyber will provide an in-depth defense mechanism with a coordinated response according to scenario and security considerations specific to each protected asset or area of concern.
“This partnership provides a multilayered cyber, radar, visual and jammer combined system of systems solution to serve the complex counter-UAS environment, with heightened benefits to operators across sectors and use cases,” said Zohar Halachmi, Chairman & CEO of D-Fend Solutions.
The SHIELD-Cyber system uses EnforceAir’s radio frequency detection in conjunction with radar detection, track, and ID to positively identify the targeted drones. EnforceAir provides information about the drone type, protocol, and frequency to classify the threat. This information will then assist SHIELD operators to determine which frequencies to jam, for mitigation purposes. The integrated solution provides a stronger countermeasure against the drone threat while allowing for a safer outcome for troops, personnel, and infrastructure.
“We’re excited to have two combat-proven capabilities in the hands of operators protecting themselves and others on a daily basis. I’m pleased to join forces with D-Fend and focus on continuous improvement in a C-UAS layered defense by seamlessly integrating our respective technologies,” said Kenneth Geyer, CEO of Liteye.
This technology integration provides a series of benefits, including:
– Combat-proven components, platform-agnostic, reduced labor requirements, and increased detection and mitigation range.
– Mobile and on-the-move capability to passively monitor and defeat RF-controlled drones, while additionally detecting and defeating “silent flight,” or ground and other threats.
– Controlled retraction of full SHIELD detection capability by employing EnforceAir detection if radar use is not possible due to non-clear line-of-sight or strong ground reflections, or when the mission requires only passive/silent operations.
– Additional mitigation capabilities for a more controlled, less disruptive defense.
– Easy and accurate identification of drone operator location and elimination of rogue drones with a real-time location accuracy of airborne threats, takeoff locations, and operator’s hand controller location.
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ABOUT D-FEND SOLUTIONS:
D-Fend Solutions is the leading counter-drone, cyber-takeover technology provider, enabling full control, safety and continuity during rogue drone incidents across complex and sensitive environments, to overcome both current and emerging drone threats. With hundreds of deployments worldwide, EnforceAir, the company’s flagship offering, focuses on the most dangerous drone threats in the military, public safety, airport, prison, major event and critical infrastructure environments. D-Fend Solutions’ technology has been chosen as best-in-class and is in deployment at top-tier U.S. government agencies – including with U.S. military, federal law enforcement and homeland security – as well as major international airports globally. EnforceAir autonomously executes RF, cyber-takeovers of rogue drones for a safe landing and outcome, ensuring the smooth flow of communications, commerce, transportation and everyday life.
ABOUT LITEYE SYSTEMS, INC.
Founded in 2000, Colorado-based, Liteye Systems, Inc. is a world leader and technology solutions manufacturer and integrator of military and commercial Counter Unmanned Aerial Systems (C-UAS) 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. Media contact: Marya Mista (Source: PR Newswire)
07 Sep 22. DroneShield selected for ISREW panel. The Sydney-based counter-UAS company has been tapped to support the design and development of advanced defence technology.
DroneShield has announced its appointed to the Australian Department of Defence Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance and Electronic Warfare (ISREW) Standing Offer Panel.
The ASX-listed company will be tasked with supporting the design, development, integration, and acquisition of ISREW equipment.
Specifically, DroneShield’s contribution to the panel could include:
- research and development;
- engineering development (including limited platform integration);
- conducting test and evaluation services;
- prototyping and low-rate production;
- delivery of supplies; and
- rapid acquisition (to support urgent operational requirements).
Other responsibilities may include the provision of services for mission systems, support systems and bespoke support equipment.
Oleg Vornik, DroneShield’s CEO, welcomed the company’s selection, adding it would build on the existing work delivered to Defence.
“In addition to our rapidly growing counter-drone business, the ISREW work is a highly complementary, adjacent market,” he said. (Source: Defence Connect)
06 Sep 22. US Army’s testbed ISR business jets are opening doors to new mission possibilities. With the prototypes, “we’re able to launch from one area and very quickly get to another area that is much further away in distance. So it opens up the aperture from a mission perspective,” a program leader said. As the US Army develops requirements for its future fixed wing spy plane to replace the RC-12 Guardrail, the service is finding that the ranges of two testbed business jets “opens up the aperture from the mission perspective,” according to a program leader.
Using two different business jets, respectively owned and operated by Leidos and L3Harris, the Army is informing future requirements for its High Accuracy Detection and Exploitation System (HADES) to replace the Guardrail. Right now, Leidos’ ARTEMIS jet is flying in Europe, and L3Harris’ ARES aircraft has flown in the Pacific
“It’s a totally different type of CONOP [concept of operations] than from what we would do with a Guardrail,” Ronald Rizzo, deputy project director for sensors aerial intelligence at Program Executive Office Intelligence, Electronic Warfare and Sensors, told reporters during a media day last week. “Going back to the Cold War days, it lived in Germany and we fly along the German border. That was that was the extent of its range.”
With ARTEMIS and ARES, “we’re able to launch from one area and very quickly get to another area that is much further away in distance. So it opens up the aperture from a mission perspective,” Rizzo said.
The ARTEMIS aircraft has demonstrated its range during Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, flying multiple sorties per week both before and after the conflict began. ARTEMIS takes off from Romania and consistently flies through Slovakia and Hungary — along the Ukraine border — and continues through Poland towards Russia’s Kaliningrad enclave. The aircraft also completes routes inside Romania, scanning along Romania’s border with Ukraine and Moldova. Recent flights show the aircraft flying for over nine hours and up to almost 4,000 miles.
The ARTEMIS aircraft returns to the United States every few weeks, Rizzo said, where the Army updates the software on board.
“We iterate on software, we iterate on different sensors, hardware, and back out it goes,” Rizzo said.
L3Harris has a similar mission in the Pacific. The plane arrived in the region in April and had flown 130 hours, according to an early June report from Defense News. According to that report, ARES is a larger platform than ARTEMIS with a higher altitude and longer range, allowing for more powerful ISR payloads.
“All of this is to inform how we will ultimately build the HADES program of record,” Rizzo said.
Another consideration for the Army is how it will sustain a business-class jet in its arsenal. Under the two prototypes, the contractors are responsible for the sustainment, but the Army is receiving reports and feedback, Rizzo said.
“That is something that we are looking at for how to tackle it into the program of record,” Rizzo said. “We still need to crack the nut on how we’re going to, as an Army, maintain a business-class jet. That’s being worked.”
This year, ARES is expected to participate in Project Convergence, but ARTEMIS will not. At last year’s Project Convergence, ARTEMIS pulled out during the exercise to fly back to Europe as tensions rose on the Russia-Ukraine border. The aircraft also participated in EDGE 21 last year, the annual future vertical lift networking exercise in Utah.
While ARTEMIS and ARES are still flying as testbed aircraft for HADES, the Army released a request for information late last month for three HADES prototypes. Under that RFI, the Army laid out two courses for action for the HADES program. Under the first option, the contractor would receive an aircraft that’s already modified to carry sensors and radar. For the second option, the contractor would receive a jet right off the production line and have to modify the airframe for radar and sensors integration.
The Army plans to field HADES in 2028 and is looking at buying between 10 to 16 of the jets, Rizzo said, but the number hasn’t been finalized. According to fiscal 2023 budget books, HADES prototype acquisition and integration will begin in the second quarter of FY23. Qualification testing and evaluation will start in FY24 and a military user assessment begins in FY26. (Source: Defense News Early Bird/Breaking Defense.com)
07 Sep 22. Introducing an All-In-One Solar Powered Surveillance Solution. MARSS announces major contract win, with new RADiRguard capability. An easy-to-deploy perimeter surveillance solution launched by MARSS Group has generated instant market interest including a new multi-m Euro contract signed in the Kindgom of Saudi Arabia.
The new RADiRguard – A solar powered AI surveillance solution
Cutting edge AI, modular flexibility and autonomous dependability are the essence of MARSS Group’s RADiRguard system. Uniquely, it is entirely self-sufficient in its ability to rapidly detect, verify and manage threats using proprietary artificial intelligence (AI). Each system consists of a MARSS RADiRguard pod mounted on top of a solar-paneled pole, ideal for off-grid installations or can be embedded into fixed site infrastructure. The system combines information from sensors, radars, cameras, and AI to create an invisible fence solution. This approach replaces traditional perimeter security systems, delivering low false alarm rates and reduced life cycle costs with an all-in-one solution.
RADiRguard is operated through the intelligent MARSS software, NiDAR – an AI and Machine Learning powered operating system. Both RADiRguard and NiDAR operate simultaneously to assess and analyse surrounding environments to detect, verify, alert, and respond to objects of interest, with a high degree of probability.
MARSS Group’s CEO, Johannes Pinl, explains: “We are turning conventional surveillance technology on its head by creating a unified, standalone unit that operates autonomously to analyse surrounding environments using state-of-the art visual and sensing systems. RADiRguard provides a faster and more accurate threat detection and management process to manage today’s threats at a rapid pace.”
Modernisation of technology to meet industry needs
RADiRguard is the next generation of surveillance technology, with some key benefits including:
– 24/7 autonomous security and decision support
– 25,000sqm of coverage in each unit
– Up to 80% cost savings with off-grid solar powered installations
– Early warning alerts of potential threats and an automatic best response recommendation
– Scalable and modular to expand reach, awareness and capability based upon customer requirements
– Intuitive interface to view perimeter information clearly and graphically to reduce operator cognitive burden
The system can be installed in an endless perimeter for scalability and flexibility to suit different needs and environments. Off-grid installation of RADiRguard removes the need for expensive electrical infrastructure as each installation is entirely self-sufficient through the patented solar paneled pole. Each unit also comes complete with a lithium-ion battery pack or fuel cell in the unit’s base to operate as an alternative power supply to maintain operations at night, in sandstorms or bad weather.
Rapid Middle East developments
This second generation RADiRguard was first unveiled at the World Defense Show in March 2022. Its development from the original RADiRguard product reflects MARSS Group’s commitment to advancing cutting-edge technology for the protection of lives and assets. The new contract in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) includes 50 units, including the MARSS NiDAR C2 platform and proprietary AI. The systems will be deployed to protect a substantial amount of critical infrastructure in the Middle East. MARSS will supply, install, and commission the equipment in addition to providing ILS (integrated logistics support) services, user training and, later, redundancy upgrades.
Welcoming the KSA deal, Andrew Forbes, MD of MARSS KSA commented: “The Middle East is a crucially important area for MARSS, both in terms of solving regional defense challenges and developing our company’s strength in the market. The MARSS team is quickly expanding within the region and the RADiRguard contract win gives a huge boost to our ever-growing product range of surveillance and security solutions. We look forward to continuing our rapid expansion in the Kingdom and beyond.”
06 Sep 22. US, British crew get a taste of Australia’s E-7A command planes. U.S. and British personnel joined a Royal Australian Air Force crew to train on the Boeing E-7A Wedgetail Airborne Early Warning and Control aircraft as part of a multinational air combat exercise here in northern Australia.
Speaking to media during a visit to RAAF Base Tindal near Katherine, detachment commander Squadron Leader Adam Paull of 2 Squadron, which operates the Australian E-7As, said that the aircraft flew alternately in support of both blue and red air missions at the exercise, as well as performing overall airspace control and management at Exercise Pitch Black. The blue and red color designations are military jargon for simulated friendly and adversary factions, respectively.
Also attending the media session was Air Battle Manager Maj. Christopher Dunn of the United States Air Force and Flight Lieutenant Sophie Gale of the United Kingdom’s Royal Air Force.
Both the U.S. and British air forces have ongoing acquisition programs to buy the E-7A, which is based on a commercial Boeing 737 airliner and is fitted with a Northrop Grumman multi-role electronically scanned array radar on a fairing on top of its fuselage.
Dunn said his transition to the E-7A from the current Boeing E-3 Sentrys was relatively seamless due to the relatively similarity in user interfaces on both platforms, with the key difference being the smaller number of operator consoles on the E-7A.
The the main benefits of the new plane type were the modern, electronically scanned array radar and communications suite and the improved reliability of the newer airframe, he explained.
Dunn is on a three-year tour with the Australian air service, which is expected to end in 2024 or 2025, an experience he expects to apply to the envisioned U.S. Air Force E-7A fleet. He told Defense News that there are currently three U.S. personnel embedded with 2 Sqn, including a U.S. Navy operator trained on E-2D Hawkeye carrier-borne aircraft.
He also expects the embedding of U.S. military personnel to 2 Sqn to ramp up in the coming months, as the U.S. Air Force seeks to build up a cadre of operators in the lead up to the service receiving its first aircraft in 2027.
The Royal Air Force’s Gale, who is an asset manager for the mission computing system and an engineer officer trained on helicopters, said that her service’s embedding of personnel here was not just to train operationally but also to help the UK’s E-7A project office make informed decisions about acquisition and sustainment contracts.
The RAF has around 40 maintainers, technicians, and aircrew embedded with 2 Sqn, which is normally based at Williamtown, north of Australia’s largest city Sydney on the country’s southeast coast.
Paull said the advantage of bringing over personnel from different backgrounds and trained on vastly different platforms into their own program enabled the sharing of fresh perspectives and ideas into their own systems.
During the Pitch Black exercise, which runs from Aug. 19 to Sept. 8 and involves aircraft from 10 countries, the Australian E-7A took turns flying missions alongside a Gulfstream G550 aircraft of the Republic of Singapore Air Force.
Paull told reporters that the aircraft also flew missions in support of a separate training exercise in northern Australia involving U.S. Air Force F-22A Raptor and Australian F-35A Lightning II stealth fighters.
The American Raptors, which are assigned to 15th Wing at Joint Base Pearl Harbor Hickam in Hawaii, are in Australia as part of the Enhanced Air Cooperation (EAC) program between Australia and the United States.
(Source: Defense News Early Bird/Defense News)
06 Sep 22. Liteye Gets $4.5m Contract for SHIELD to Support US Army RCCTO HEL Systems. Liteye Systems, based in Centennial Colorado, has been awarded a $4,500,000, multiple-year contract to further develop and integrate its Liteye SHIELD C-sUAS payload in the US Army (RCCTO) HEL prototype effort. This second contract continues the work of last year’s award from RCCTO and furthers the SHIELD platform advancements.
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 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. 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 test and evaluation.
“This ongoing effort represents Liteye’s focused commitment to development by our team, and again renews our strategic partnership with the US Army dating back to 2016 when we first sent our C-sUAS systems into combat in Iraq,” said Kenneth Geyer, CEO and Co-Founder of Liteye Systems. “Drone warfare is evolving at an incredible pace, both airborne and ground-based, Liteye and our partners work just as fast developing layered capabilities to handle the multidomain threats of today and tomorrow.”
Liteye’s C-sUAS solutions can be layered with multiple effectors and battle management systems to Detect, Track, Identify and Defeat a wide range of malicious small UAS threats facing US forces today. The Liteye services team provides 24/7 reach-back support, training, and system updates to ensure that the systems remain effective against threats that are continuously increasing in complexity.
“On behalf of the Liteye team, we thank the US Army for their continued trust in our systems and our team. 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.
(Source: UAS VISION)
07 Sep 22. Northrop Grumman LITENING Targeting Pod Makes First Navy Super Hornet Flight. Pod demonstrated surveillance, autonomous target tracking capabilities. Northrop Grumman Corporation’s (NYSE: NOC) LITENING advanced targeting pod has successfully completed its first test flights on the U.S. Navy’s F/A-18 Super Hornet. The Navy selected LITENING to replace the legacy targeting pods on the F/A-18 fleet in early 2022.
“This first flight demonstrated LITENING’s ability to rapidly add modern, upgradeable mission capabilities to the Super Hornet,” said James Conroy, vice president, navigation, targeting and survivability, Northrop Grumman. “The pod’s digital video, autonomous target tracking, and laser sensors will give Naval aviators an entirely new set of capabilities for operations over land and sea today, and the growth capabilities built into LITENING’s modular design ensure that the pod can evolve to meet changing requirements.”
During the flight, pilots executed maneuvers and operations representative of combat missions, including ground moving target tracking, air-to-air tracking and target designation. The pilots also engaged the eye-safe training laser mode that allows the pod to be used for realistic training with combat controllers on the ground. The pilots were able to carry out these operations without advance training, showing the ease of use that has been made possible by close collaboration with the aviation community.
LITENING is currently in service with the Marine Corps, Air Force, Air National Guard and international customers. Northrop Grumman has delivered more than 900 LITENING pods.
06 Sep 22. IAI to Supply DroneGuard ComJam Systems to an Asian Country.
Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) has been awarded a contract to supply DroneGuard ComJam systems for the long-range detection and disruption of Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) to an Asian country. The contract comprises several dozens of mobile systems.
In recent years, the use of UAS has increased dramatically, and they have become a potential threat to borders, sensitive facilities, maneuvering forces and major events. UAS may be used for hostile purposes such as gathering intelligence, smuggling or even carrying armaments. Furthermore, their detection is often difficult because of their small physical size, slow air speed, and low altitude flight.
To deal with this threat, IAI’s ELTA Division has developed DroneGuard ComJam: an advanced system for locating and disrupting UAS communications and navigation capabilities, whether they are operating independently or in groups (swarms), without impacting civilian communications and GPS in the same area. The system detects hostile UAS, identifies their mode of operation, and disrupts their communications and navigation so that they are essentially shut down. DroneGuard ComJam offers the advantage of long-range operation, whereby the UAS is disabled while it is still far away – long before it poses a threat to the protected site. (Source: UAS VISION)
Hundreds of IAI’s DroneGuard systems have been delivered to customers around the world, where they are used to protect critical installations, as well as major events such as the G20 Summit held in Argentina in 2018.
Adi Dulberg, VP & General Manager, IAI/ELTA Intelligence, Communications & EW Division:
“IAI’s Electronic Warfare systems are a force-multiplier when dealing with modern airborne threats. They are a key component in operational deployment by armies and security forces worldwide. Unauthorized border penetration by hostile UAS, or the ability to target maneuvering forces or crowded areas, could cause significant harm. Our customer’s ability to defend against such threats will be significantly enhanced by the long-range detection and disruption capabilities that DroneGuard ComJam delivers.” (Source: UAS VISION)
05 Sep 22. RAAF aircraft deployed for maritime surveillance activity.
ADF personnel and platforms have been deployed to the South West Pacific to support maritime surveillance operations.
The Australian Defence Force (ADF) has linked up with Pacific partner nations to address illegal, unregulated and unreported fishing activity in the South West Pacific under Operation Solania.
The operation forms part of the Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency’s (FFA) Operation Island Chief.
The activity involved the deployment of a Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) C-27J Spartan and a KA350 King Air, tasked with helping Vanuatu and Kiribati monitor their exclusive economic zones (EEZ).
The RAAF C-27J Spartan and KA350 King Air aircraft operated out of Port Vila and Tarawa, respectively, at the request of the government of Kiribati.
The KA350 King Air crew reportedly flew 10 missions for the FFA, detecting and reporting more than 15 suspicious vessels and helping locate 10 vessels of interest.
The C-27J Spartan’s contribution included flying 11 missions over Vanuatu’s EEZ, reporting more than 50 vessels to the FFA. (Source: Defence Connect)
04 Sep 22. Indra supplied ARMS counter drone system at recent NATO summit. Spanish technology company Indra supplied it ARMS counter drone solution as part of security measured deployed at the recent NATO summit in Madrid at the end of June 2022. The ARMS system was integrated into a powerful defence deployment that included the use of anti-aircraft artillery and F18 and Eurofighter aircraft, says a company press release.
Spain’s Air and Space Force Deployment Support Squadron (EADA) was tasked with protecting arriving heads of state and government on their arrival at Torrejón de Ardoz air base, where 30 delegations and 100 other aircraft landed, with the aid of Indra’s ARMS system. The system protected aircraft as they approached the runways, and was also responsible for shielding the entire perimeter of the airbase, which covers 45 hectares, an area equivalent to about 90 soccer fields.
The deployment carried out by Indra at the Torrejón Air Base included Spanish technology provided by Indra and ART and the support of CERBAIR’s sensors.
The ARMS system is designed to respond in a highly automated and rapid manner, launching a targeted response to take down a single target or neutralize massive attacks if necessary.
The solution gathers intelligence to identify the type of drone that is in the air and chooses the most effective response in each case. The operator supervises the entire operation from the command and control station and launches the necessary countermeasure to block the device’s navigation and control systems, bringing it down or forcing it to land.
Miguel Acitores, Indra’s security business director, underlined that the Spanish Air Force “has confirmed the high operational performance of the system during its latest international missions”.
One of them was the European mission in Mali, where Indra’s system protected the Koulikoro base and contributed to reinforcing the security of the Spanish detachment.
Indra has been a pioneer in the development of these systems and it has delivered its solution to the armies of different countries, which are currently operating with it. The benefits include its ability to adapt to all kinds of settings and offer protection in conflict zones, civilian areas and airports, where the countermeasures to be used must be much more accurate and almost surgical to minimize any interference with the electronic systems of the aircraft and control tower.
For more information visit: www.indracompany.com (Source: www.unmannedairspace.info)
02 Sep 22. Reported shooting of drone by Taiwan military off Chinese coast. An unidentified civilian drone that entered Taiwanese airspace near an islet off the Chinese coast has been shot down by the Taiwanese military, according to a report by Reuters. The event follows the recent increase in Chinese military exercises around the island following the visit to Taipei by U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi in early August.
According to Reuters, Taiwan’s government has said it will not provoke or escalate tensions but has been particularly angered recently by repeated cases of Chinese drones buzzing islands controlled by Taiwan close to China’s coast.
The defence command for Kinmen, a group of Taiwan-controlled islands opposite China’s Xiamen and Quanzhou cities, said in a statement released by Taiwan’s defence ministry that the drone entered restricted air space over Lion Islet just after midday (0400 GMT). Troops on the islet tried warning it away but to no effect, so shot it down, with the remains landing in the sea, it added.
Taiwan fired warning shots at a drone for the first time on Tuesday shortly after President Tsai Ing-wen ordered the military to take “strong countermeasures” against what she termed Chinese provocations.
China’s foreign ministry, which on Monday dismissed Taiwan’s complaints about drones as nothing “to make a fuss about”, referred questions to the defence ministry, which had yet to comment.
Chiu Chui-cheng, deputy head of Taiwan’s China-policy making Mainland Affairs Council, told reporters in Taipei that Taiwan had the legal authority to take “necessary defence measures”, as Chinese aircraft were not allowed into Kinmen’s air space.
Those measures include forcing aircraft to leave or to land, he said.
Speaking to the armed forces earlier on Thursday, Tsai said China was using drones and other “grey zone” tactics to try to intimidate Taiwan, her office cited her as saying in a statement.
Taiwan has controlled Kinmen, which at its closest point is a few hundred metres (feet) from Chinese territory, since the defeated Republic of China government fled to Taipei after losing a civil war to Mao Zedong’s communists in 1949, says the Reuters report. For more information visiwww.reuters.com (Source: www.unmannedairspace.info)
01 Sep 22. SkyWall Auto Response deployed to protect world leaders at the G7 summit in Germany. SkyWall Auto Response was deployed as part of the security architecture and successfully protected the G7 Summit which took place in the Elmau in the Bavarian Alps in June 2022 in Germany from unauthorized drones.
SkyWall Auto provides a mobile and fast response that can optically track drones at long ranges and then capture a drone should one enter the protected area. The handheld SkyWall Patrol system has been deployed at several G7 events since 2017 and this is the first publicly releasable deployment of the advanced autonomous SkyWall Auto system.
SkyWall Auto Response is a vehicle mounted solution that can rapidly capture multiple targets in accurately delivered nets. The build in AI-powered optical tracking system uses EO and IR cameras with automatic targeting to lock onto any incoming drone, allowing the operator to make a threat assessment with high quality imagery and engage if desired.
This vehicle mounted capability can cover a large area and the targeting system can be networked to integrate with detection capabilities and also be remotely operated from a central command post.
The vehicle can be positioned deployed close to any vulnerable point or the SkyWall system can be hidden under the pop-up covers until it is required, protecting it from prying eyes and the elements.
The SkyWall Auto system has also been delivered in towed trailer configurations and can be permanently installed on buildings or semi-permanent containers.
Other counter drone protection devices deployed at the summit included GUARDION, developed by ESG Elektroniksystem- und Logistik and Rohde & Schwarz. For more information visit: www.openworksengineering.com (Source: www.unmannedairspace.info)
01 Sep 22. Liteye adds new man-portable, rapid deployment capability to counter drone portfolio. Liteye Systems has launched a new man-portable counter drone capability called the Multi-Domain Explorer (MDX). MDX comprises a multi-domain sensor package that employs 3D radar technology combined with HD EO/IR and cooled MWIR sensors to provide unmatched air and ground surveillance, target acquisition, and tracking for its tactical size and weight. The full MDX system capability offers RF surveillance and detection, 3D radars, HD EO/IR optical surveillance, target tracking, a laser target designation capability, and omnidirectional and/or directional Electronic Attack in a small, man-portable, or platform-integrated package that can be remotely operated and controlled by a single operator.
The MDX platform has direct applications in fly-away security, force protection, expeditionary base defense, port and shoreline security, border security, and various inside and outside-the-wire mission applications.
“The MDX has multiple variations as a modular small-form-factor,” said Ryan Hurt, VP of Business Development. “The system is uniquely configurable for an integrated solution, for rapid, agile on-the-move capability for the warfighter.” For more information visit: www.liteye.com (Source: www.unmannedairspace.info)
01 Sep 22. US Navy video of unidentified drone swarm raises interest in drone detection and identification systems. The US Navy has released a new video from the incident in April 2019 when six unidentified drones were recorded flying over its surface combatant vessel, the USS Zumwalt, off the coast of Southern California according to online news reports.
The War Zone requested the video via the Freedom of Information act as part of its research into reports of drone swarm incidents that occurred near Navy vessels intermittently throughout 2019 off Southern California. Previous material includes unclassified video and photographs that provided a significant increase in detail about these strange incidents. The bulk of the drone swarm events occurred in July of 2019.
The incident occurred at approximately 8:30 PM Pacific Time on April 24th 2019, around 17 nautical miles from the Marine Corps base at Camp Pendleton in international waters. During the event, the USS Zumwalt reported that as many as six unknown unmanned aerial systems (UAS) were seen operating nearby at altitudes ranging from 300 to 1000 feet. At one point in the incident, the UAS reportedly crossed over the deck of the USS Zumwalt. As in similar past incidents, the drones were documented by the Ship Nautical Or Otherwise Photographic Interpretation and Exploitation team, or “SNOOPIE team.” These sailors essentially act to document dangerous, uncertain, or unusual situations using a variety of commercial-grade cameras.
The Drive has reported an unnamed former drone industry analyst who commented that “while the video isn’t of the best quality, I don’t see anything on the drone that would make me think it’s something that couldn’t be purchased off the shelf from a current commercial drone manufacturer.” The analyst added, “the fact that the narrator said that there was a pattern of flight where there were no changes in altitude tells me that the drones were either programmed to fly a certain route or controlled from a distance while possibly on altitude hold, which to me isn’t the hallmark of any advanced technology.”
They further commented, “what is interesting is that they reported 6 drones and they were 17 miles off the coast of Southern California. This tells me that these drones were likely launched from a boat and that this was likely a planned ‘mission’ because no one has 6 drones on a boat for recreational purposes.” The analyst further stated that physically capturing the drone “is really the only way a forensic assessment can be made to determine the origin and capabilities associated with an [unidentified] drone.,” reports The Drive. View the video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifslvA3SjOY&t=15s For more information visit: www.thedrive.com (Source: www.unmannedairspace.info)
31 Aug 22. Drone incursions at airports continue to disrupt commercial flights. Reports of drone incursions at international airports are rising based on the ever-growing number of flight disruptions by major operators. In just three days, at least eight flights were disrupted at Madrid’s Adolfo-Suarez-Barajas airport and Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion airport, causing air traffic control to divert aircraft from their landing paths after drones entered restricted airspace. All flights landed safely, however, flight schedules were disrupted, airport operations were halted, and police investigations are underway.
According the Times of Israel, a United Airlines flight from New York to Tel Aviv was diverted on 20 August after a small private drone entered its path as it came in for landing. Israel Airports Authority officials said the drone had been deemed a potential danger to the flight, leading to the decision to divert it.
Meanwhile, Spanish newspaper The Star reported the presence of drones at Madrid Barajas Airport on 22 August, causing the diversion of seven flights to other airports. Airport operator AENA worked with the Civil Guard to resolve the interruptions.
Both incidents highlight the challenge facing airports in protecting the airways from drone incursions and working with enforcement agencies to introduced preventative measures.
For more information visit: www.timesofisrael.com; www.thestar.com (Source: www.unmannedairspace.info)
30 Aug 22. Russian army event features Tiger-M armoured vehicle equipped with anti-drone systems. The eighth Russian military technical forum – Army-2022 – held at the Patriot Convention and Exhibition Center, as well as at Kubica Airport and Camp Alabino outside Moscow, featured the Tiger-M armored military vehicle, equipped with advanced systems for combating drones according to a report by Newscutters. United Military Industries Company has modified vehicle with radars, optical and thermal reconnaissance devices and advanced laser devices capable of detecting drones up to 20 km. Coming as a modified version of the Russian Tiger armored military vehicle, the new vehicle combines the features of an armored vehicle and a high-speed military vehicle capable of operating in rough terrains, capable of operating in high temperatures and cold which regions. Where the temperature reaches 50 degrees below zero, its structure is also designed to protect its crew and passengers from military mines, rifle bullets and light and medium machine guns. For more information visit: www.newscutters.com (Source: www.unmannedairspace.info)
30 Aug 22. Taiwan reviews counter drone systems in response to Chinese drone intrusions. Tensions in the Taiwan Strait have prompted Kinmen Island’s Defense Command to state it would shoot down Chinese drones if warnings are ignored when drones intrude onto it territory, according to a report by International Business Times.
The article says that a Chinese civilian drone intruded into Taiwanese territory and recorded visuals of two soldiers manning a guardhouse. These visuals were later widely circulated on Chinese social media Sina Weibo. Taiwanese military sources then claimed it fired warning flares to repel Chinese drones while refraining from more aggressive measures such as shooting aircraft down to avoid further escalating cross-strait tensions.
Taipei Times reported that the Taiwanese military aims to avoid escalating such situations but would take countermeasures to prevent incursions into the country’s airspace by drones and other airborne objects.
The incident has prompted the Taiwanese Ministry of Defense to strengthen its drone defence system, which it expects to deploy next year.
Among proposed defence systems, Lo Cheng-fang, the CEO of Taiwanese drone manufacturer GEOSAT Aerospace & Technology said standard drone jammers are sufficient to counter the Chinese drone incursions at present, but Taiwan might need to o respond with more than a drone defense system and develop high-powered microwave jammers to counter drone attacks if Chinese intrusions intensify. Lu Li-shih, a former navy lieutenant commander, too believes the army should try to set up a virtual perimeter known as a geofence around a no-fly zone between the offshore counties and China to stop drones from entering, reports International Business Times. For more information visit: www.ibtimes.com (Source: www.unmannedairspace.info)
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