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26 Jul 25. Counter-drone efforts rise as prison sightings revealed. Organised crime gangs are being targeted by the police and prison service as part of a nationwide crackdown on drone drops into prisons.
- Prison Service working with police to tackle threat of drones as part of Plan for Change
- Drone incidents up by 43 per cent in the last financial year, new data reveals
- Two recent counter-drone operations result in nine arrests
The move is backed by a new investment of £900,000 and designed to disrupt the in-flow of drugs and weapons that are destabilising prisons and putting staff and offenders at risk. It builds on the £40m already invested this year into prison security measures, including exterior netting and reinforced windows. Stopping the flow of drugs and weapons getting into prisons is a crucial step in gripping the prisons crisis the Government inherited to make streets safer, as part of the Plan for Change. The news comes as data published today (31 July) reveals there were 1,712 drone incidents between April 2024 and March 2025 at prisons across England and Wales. This is an increase of 43 per cent compared to the previous 12 months. The clampdown has already seen counter-drone operations at HMPs Manchester and Wandsworth leading to the swift arrest of nine individuals. Similar operations are planned in the coming months.
Minister for Prisons, Probation and Reducing Reoffending, Lord Timpson, said: “The ease with which drones were operating over prisons was yet another sign of the chaotic prison system we inherited last July.
As part of the Plan for Change, we are tackling the organised crime gangs behind the drug supply routes so that our prisons can start cutting crime and stop creating better criminals. One of the sophisticated drones recovered in the HMP Wandsworth operation had a value of £6,000, an extended flight time of 40 minutes and the ability to hold four loads at one time. Four further arrests were made by West Mercia Police earlier this month for flying drones over high-security prison HMP Long Lartin.”
Detective Superintendent of the North West Regional Organised Crime Unit, Claire McGuire said: “Tackling the use of drones to smuggle drugs, weapons, and other illicit items into prisons is one of our top priorities. These activities fuel organised crime and pose serious risks to both staff and inmates. We continue to work closely with national partners including His Majesty’s Prisons and Probation Service, the National Crime Agency, local police forces, and intelligence teams to disrupt this criminal behaviour and prevent contraband from entering prison estates. By sharing intelligence and coordinating operations, we are strengthening our collective response to this growing threat.”
The latest Safety in Custody statistics, also published today, highlight the alarming levels of violence across the prison estate, with 20,570 prisoner-on-prisoner assaults and 10,568 assaults on staff in the 12 months to March 2025. Reducing the availability of contraband in prisons plays a key role in reducing violence across the estate. Earlier this week, a trial into the use of tasers began across adult male prisons in England and Wales – the first time their use is being trialled in the prison estate. The Lord Chancellor, Shabana Mahmood, has also announced the rollout of protective body armour for those staff working in prison settings holding the most dangerous offenders. (Source: https://www.gov.uk/)
01 Aug 25. Buyutech and Titra partner to integrate advanced detection systems into homegrown unmanned aerial vehicles. Turkish companies Titra and Buyutech signed a deal to integrate artificial intelligence-powered camera systems into a range of homegrown unmanned aerial vehicles, the firms announced at the IDEF 2025 defense fair in Istanbul. Under the agreement, Buyutech will design, produce, and install high-performance imaging systems for several Titra UAVs, including the Alpin and Alpin-2 unmanned helicopters, the Deli kamikaze drone, the Pars observer drone, and Merkut FPV platforms developed by Titra’s defense subsidiary SAVX. The technology aims to strengthen the drones’ surveillance and targeting capabilities by enabling advanced detection functions using AI. The companies said the collaboration reflects Türkiye’s push to develop modular, autonomous, and fully domestic defense systems amid rising global demand for next-generation UAVs. Buyutech, a key supplier to Türkiye’s automotive sector, has previously developed advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) and cameras in partnership with carmakers including Togg, Ford Otosan, and Tofas. The company plans to scale its annual camera production from 1 m to 3.5 m units in the near term, citing growing demand from the defense industry. Buyutech co-founder and CEO Omer Orkun Duztas said the company is leveraging experience from the civilian sector to contribute to national security.
“Our ideal is to develop technologies that will make everyone feel more peaceful and secure — we’re proud to bring the experience we gained in civilian sectors to ensure the security of our nation,” he said.
The new generation of AI-powered systems is expected to serve multiple platforms beyond the initial models covered in the agreement, the companies said.
Buyutech and Titra partner to integrate advanced detection systems into homegrown unmanned aerial vehicles Turkish companies Titra and Buyutech signed a deal to integrate artificial intelligence-powered camera systems into a range of homegrown unmanned aerial vehicles, the firms announced at the IDEF 2025 defense fair in Istanbul. Under the agreement, Buyutech will design, produce, and install high-performance imaging systems for several Titra UAVs, including the Alpin and Alpin-2 unmanned helicopters, the Deli kamikaze drone, the Pars observer drone, and Merkut FPV platforms developed by Titra’s defense subsidiary SAVX. The technology aims to strengthen the drones’ surveillance and targeting capabilities by enabling advanced detection functions using AI. The companies said the collaboration reflects Türkiye’s push to develop modular, autonomous, and fully domestic defense systems amid rising global demand for next-generation UAVs.
Buyutech, a key supplier to Türkiye’s automotive sector, has previously developed advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) and cameras in partnership with carmakers including Togg, Ford Otosan, and Tofas. The company plans to scale its annual camera production from 1 m to 3.5 m units in the near term, citing growing demand from the defense industry.
Buyutech co-founder and CEO Omer Orkun Duztas said the company is leveraging experience from the civilian sector to contribute to national security. “Our ideal is to develop technologies that will make everyone feel more peaceful and secure — we’re proud to bring the experience we gained in civilian sectors to ensure the security of our nation,” he said.
The new generation of AI-powered systems is expected to serve multiple platforms beyond the initial models covered in the agreement, the companies said. (Source: News Now/https://www.yenisafak.com/)
30 Jul 25. HawkEye 360 Launches Advanced GNSS Interference Detection Capabilities to Enhance Defense and Intelligence Operations. HawkEye 360 Inc., the global leader in signals intelligence data and analytics, today announced powerful enhancements to its GNSS Interference (GNSS-I) Detection product suite. These upgrades—designed with defense, intelligence, and national security operations in mind—offer unprecedented accuracy, coverage, and insight into global GPS jamming and spoofing threats. The update includes a new wider frequency algorithm that better distinguishes individual emitters, incorporates GPS spoofing detection, and is terrain adjusted for better geolocation accuracy, delivering greater situational awareness and more precise geolocation of interference sources worldwide.
“In contested environments, timely RF intelligence is the key to mission success,” said Todd Probert, President, U.S. Government Business Unit. “Traditional land, sea, and air systems struggle in Anti-Access/Area Denial environments, while our satellites provide global GNSS-I detection and geolocation coverage. These enhanced capabilities give defense and intelligence teams the ability to identify and neutralize threats before they disrupt operations, enabling faster decisions and sharper visibility into adversary behavior.”
Purpose-Built for Strategic Operations
Many high-stakes operations rely heavily on accurate and uninterrupted GPS signals. Disruptions to these signals, whether through intentional interference or incidental factors, can introduce uncertainty and compromise the effectiveness of critical activities. HawkEye 360’s enhanced GNSS Interference Detection product suite supports strategic decision-making by providing timely, precise insight into potential signal disruptions, enabling stakeholders to better assess risk, respond confidently, and maintain operational continuity in dynamic environments.
With this release, HawkEye 360’s GNSS-I Detection product suite now provides:
- 15x Increase in geolocation density
- Spoofing Detection and differentiation
- Terrain Adjusted for increased accuracy
- Consistent Monitoring across wide areas of interest
Enabling Action in Contested Environments
These enhancements further solidify HawkEye 360’s commitment to equipping national security and defense partners with tools to operate confidently in GPS-denied or disrupted environments.
“We deliver high-confidence RF intelligence that helps defense and intelligence professionals protect assets, outmaneuver threats, and gain the upper hand in the spectrum,” said Alex Fox, President, International Business Unit. “By adding terrain-aware modeling, we give our partners a decisive advantage in detecting and responding to GPS interference—whether they’re operating in rugged mountains or dense urban environments. They can act with confidence, knowing the data is both precise and actionable.”
Precision You Can Act On
HawkEye 360’s new spoofing detection capability identifies potentially malicious transmitters that imitate legitimate GPS Course/Acquisition (PRN) codes—a tactic increasingly used to deceive aircraft and mislead navigation systems. The capability supports threat mitigation and trend analysis by detecting and geolocating these spoofers down to a kilometer-level precision. (Source: ASD Network)
31 Jul 25. US Army Tests Minigun-Equipped Abrams in New Anti-Drone Exercise. The U.S. Army’s 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division has tested an M1 Abrams main battle tank equipped with an M134 Minigun, a 7.62x51mm six-barrel rotary weapon more commonly seen on helicopters. Unlike the M240, which fires about 650 rounds per minute, the electrically powered M134 Minigun can fire up to 6,000 rounds per minute. The tank-tested version is also equipped with a Trijicon MGRS collimator sight. While the setup offers overwhelming firepower, it comes with a critical drawback. According to Defense Express, operating the weapon requires the crew member to stand in the open loader’s hatch, exposing them to enemy fire.
“Despite how promising this sounds, the setup has one critical downside: to operate the weapon, the crew member must expose themselves through the loader’s hatch, becoming an easy target for enemy fire,” the outlet noted.
“Even if we set aside the threat of kamikaze drones, battlefield shrapnel alone remains a deadly risk. This comes on top of recent criticism of a new U.S. anti-drone doctrine, which bizarrely instructs tank commanders to exit the vehicle and use hand signals to direct fire.”
As of now, there is no indication that this Minigun configuration will be adopted for regular service. (Source: https://www.sofx.com/)
30 Jul 25. Cuashub.com said today that ParaZero trials net-based autonomous drone mitigation. ParaZero Technologies has completed a successful field trial in Israel of a new stationary variant of its DefendAir counter-drone system, expanding the company’s suite of layered aerial defense technologies. The trial featured a turret-based net launcher designed to intercept hostile drones using a 360-degree perimeter defense mechanism. According to the company, the system integrates optical detection and tracking tools, enabling fully autonomous identification, tracking and engagement of airborne threats. The latest configuration includes a significantly larger net than previous iterations, aimed at improving coverage and performance against larger or faster drones. This adaptation is intended for fixed-site defense, including critical infrastructure and government facilities, which are increasingly vulnerable to unmanned aerial threats. The turreted variant is a departure from ParaZero’s more compact, portable DefendAir net gun systems, which have been marketed for mobile or tactical use. While ParaZero did not disclose technical performance data or specific metrics from the trial, the company characterized the test as a milestone that improves the effectiveness and autonomy of its existing DefendAir platform. ParaZero has focused on combining traditional kinetic interception methods, such as nets, with detection and automation technologies to deliver systems that can operate independently and in complex environments. The company says it intends to continue refining the DefendAir platform for both mobile and fixed-site defense roles. The turret-based net system is expected to be part of future deployments in scenarios where autonomous, kinetic drone mitigation is a preferred option. https://cuashub.com/en/content/parazero-trials-net-based-autonomous-drone-mitigation/ (Source: https://cuashub.com/)
30 Jul 25. Cuashub.com said today that Ukrainian FPV downs rare Russian drone in first-of-its-kind strike. The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) has released new video footage showing a Ukrainian FPV drone shooting down a rare Russian Orion reconnaissance and strike drone, in what appears to be the first confirmed instance of such a high-value aerial target being destroyed by an anti-aircraft FPV system. The footage, shared via the SBU’s official Telegram channel, showcases a two-week operational period in which the agency’s Special Operations Center “A” destroyed a range of Russian military assets. These included tanks, artillery, electronic warfare systems and multiple drones, among them the Orion, one of Russia’s most advanced combat drones. Defense analysts have long regarded the Orion UAV as one of Russia’s most capable, and expensive, platforms. According to Ukrainian electronic warfare expert Anatoly Khrapchinsky, many of the drone’s parts are imported via third countries, with even its engine sourced from Austria.
“It’s heavy, expensive, and during the full-scale invasion, seven have been destroyed so far,” Khrapchinsky told Ukrainian Radio in a 2024 interview.
Russia’s Orion fleet also suffered a significant setback in June, when a Ukrainian drone strike targeted the Atlant-Aero facility in Taganrog, a key production site for components used in the Orion system.
While Ukraine’s FPV drone tactics have already proven effective against ground targets, this latest footage suggests that Ukrainian forces are successfully adapting the approach for use against sophisticated aerial threats, further leveling the playing field in a conflict where air superiority remains contested.
Ukrainian FPV downs rare Russian drone in first-of-its-kind strike
(Source: https://cuashub.com/)
30 Jul 25. US Army’s Project Flytrap Advances Defense Secretary’s Drone Dominance Agenda. The U.S and British armies worked side by side to evaluate the effectiveness of systems meant to counter the effects of unmanned aerial systems on the battlefield this week. Soldiers assigned to 2nd Cavalry Regiment, under V Corps, and troops assigned to 1st Royal Yorkshire Regiment, British army, conducted the fourth iteration of the Project Flytrap exercise at the Hohenfels Training Area in Germany and the Bemowo Piskie Training Area, near Elk, Poland. The exercise aims to better prepare participating partners to counter the threats posed by unmanned aerial systems on the battlefield.
“Project Flytrap is … a series of training events that we’ve designed to test and refine some new counter-unmanned aerial systems … and tactics to respond to the evolving threat of drone warfare,” said Col. Matthew B. Davis, V Corps transformation chief, who also served as exercise director. “The lessons learned from … recent conflicts highlighted this critical capability gap, and we’re looking for Project Flytrap to directly address those through the training, which we conducted … we’re working to enhance our collective ability to deter potential adversaries and maintain a decisive edge.”
The Flytrap exercise involved U.S. military personnel, partner nation military and industry representatives, Davis said. During this exercise, military personnel from participating militaries collaborated with industry experts in counter-UAS technology development to more quickly refine those technologies.
“What we’re doing here — think of the convergence of industry, of Army agencies with counter-UAS things that have been around and some that are emerging, taking it out of the labs, putting it in the field with combat soldiers,” said Col. Donald R. Neal, commander, 2nd Cavalry Regiment. “Think of a soldier operating a piece of equipment with the person from industry next to them. The soldier gives feedback on what would make it work smoother, they make that change, they test it out, and they iterate on it.”
That’s exactly the kind of drone-related work Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth pushed for earlier this month in his July 10 memorandum “Unleashing U.S. Military Drone Dominance.” Under that directive, the secretary intends to strengthen the U.S. drone manufacturing base, provide warfighters with the best tools and ensure they are trained to use them effectively.
“One thing that I know is trying to get after from the memo that’s been pushed down is he wants to see the use of drones incorporated in the training,” Neal said. “That’s exactly what Project Flytrap is doing. You’ve got troops that are fighting each other, force-on-force, that are incorporating small UAS and counter-UAS, all in the same battle drills that we’ve done for decades. So, I think we’re nested, we’re right within that intent on figuring this out and training with it now, so the first time we’re encountering it isn’t on the battlefield.”
Neal also said as a combat brigade, the role for 2nd Cavalry Regiment soldiers isn’t just to evaluate equipment, but to take the new counter-UAS technology and learn how to incorporate it into what they already know how to do — and report that back to the Army so it can be used elsewhere.
“What we’re tasked with doing is taking this technology that’s counter-UAS focused, and the answer that we’re trying to provide for the Army is, how do we take systems that have largely revolved around static defense, and put it in an offensive vehicle-centric organization that does combat tasks,” he said.
As part of this last iteration, eight different systems were evaluated by military participants from four different industry providers.
“What we’re trying to get after is we’re taking the latest cutting-edge versions of existing technologies like radar, RF detect and jam, optical sensors and audio sensors, and then merging those into a system that our soldiers on the ground can employ in a tactical setting in order to enable them to do their jobs, despite having a growing threat in the air,” said Command Sgt. Maj. Eric S. Bol, command sergeant major, 3rd Squadron, 2nd Cavalry Regiment.
One takeaway from the Flytrap exercise, Neal said, involves managing the type and amount of information required to operate counter-UAS effectively.
“Preliminarily, I think what we are finding … once you start talking O-5 level command and above, there probably is a need for folks that understand how to manage data and how to how to manipulate software,” he said. “It is going to require skill sets that maybe we don’t have throughout our force in a very formal way. We owe that to the Army. We don’t know what that looks like yet, but that’s part of what we’re finding out in this project, this exercise and feeding it back up.”
No matter what the Army does in the way of incorporating counter-UAS technology into ground combat units, one thing that won’t change is combat basics.
“The fundamentals of maneuver warfare still matter,” said Lt. Col. Jeremy S. Medaris, commander, 3rd Squadron, 2nd Cavalry Regiment. “Things like dispersion, protection, fortification, selecting the correct routes and planning to an objective — things like that. … Maybe some components are changing, but those fundamental pieces are still there, and that is just as applicable to the counter-UAS fight as well.” (Source: U.S. DoD)
29 Jul 25. DroneShield, a global leader in counter-uncrewed systems (CUxS) technology announced its participation in Project FlyTrap, a multinational defence initiative led by the U.S. Army V Corps. This critical exercise, running from June to August 2025 in Germany and Poland, brings together United States and United Kingdom forces to advance CUAS capabilities in response to rapidly evolving aerial threats on the modern battlefield. DroneShield has been exclusively focused on CUAS technology for over 11 years and has deployed nearly 4,000 units across more than 40 countries. Notably, DroneShield’s counter-drone technologies have been deployed to Ukraine since the onset of the conflict, proving their reliability and effectiveness in real-world combat. This battle-tested experience further highlights the company’s commitment to providing proven, operational solutions for countering drone threats and has made it a key player in the defence sector.
“CUAS is no longer optional—it’s essential. We see exercises like Project FlyTrap as crucial to testing technology before it gets into the warfighter’s hands,” said Tom Branstetter, VP of Business Development and Sales at DroneShield. “We’re honoured that our technology is playing a role in shaping the future of CUAS operations and supporting the mission readiness of our allied forces.”
Project FlyTrap reflects the ongoing evolution of counter-drone efforts among NATO allies, particularly in response to the escalating drone threats observed in recent conflicts, such as the war in Ukraine. By participating in this exercise, DroneShield continues to reinforce its position as a trusted partner in the defence industry and a key enabler of future-ready security solutions.
30 Jul 25. DroneShield, a global leader in counter-uncrewed systems (CUxS) technology, participated in a demonstration hosted by the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) at the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Unmanned Technology Operations Center in Summit Point, West Virginia, on July 24, 2025. The event convened DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, senior DHS officials, and CUAS solutions providers, highlighting the Department’s urgent focus on addressing the escalating drone threats to national security. This event followed closely behind a recent U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee hearing, where Steven Willoughby, Director of the DHS Counter-UAS Program Management Office, highlighted the growing danger drones pose. He testified: “Nearly every day, transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) use drones to convey illicit narcotics and contraband across U.S. borders and conduct hostile surveillance of law enforcement.”
Secretary Noem, a vocal advocate for expanding CUAS capabilities, emphasized earlier this year during a Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs hearing that:
“United States Coast Guard (USCG) tasks require every cutter to be equipped with CUAS technology.”
Secretary Noem further reinforced this urgency in a recent social media post, stating:
“We’re in the middle of a weapons-technology revolution—and our enemies know it. Drones are now being used to smuggle deadly drugs, target our infrastructure, and spy on U.S. defenses. We must be ready.”
During the demonstration, Secretary Noem met with the DroneShield team and received a briefing on its field-proven counter-drone technologies. These systems have been actively supporting Ukraine’s CUAS efforts since the start of the conflict and continue to evolve to meet a broad spectrum of emerging threats. With more than 11 years of exclusive focus on CUAS technologies, DroneShield has long been an advocate for securing U.S. borders and critical infrastructure from the risks posed by uncrewed aerial systems.
“Never before have we seen such alignment and sense of purpose across all levels of the Department of Homeland Security,” said Matt McCrann, CEO of DroneShield LLC. “The whole-of-agency approach on display at Industry Day demonstrates DHS’ intent to address the surging drone threat with speed, unity, and effectiveness.”
With drone threats steadily rising and impacting U.S. borders, airports, stadiums, and emergency responders, DroneShield remains committed to supporting national security with advanced, mission-ready CUAS capabilities. DroneShield’s solutions are purpose-built and engineered to be simple to train, easy to use, and quick to deploy, giving teams a decisive edge when seconds matter.
“As drone threats continue to evolve rapidly, it is essential that the U.S. and its allies have ready access to trusted, combat-proven countermeasures,” added McCrann.
Tom Branstetter, Vice President of Business Development and Sales at DroneShield, commented, “This demonstration reaffirmed DHS’ focus on taking decisive steps forward – and we’re proud to contribute our expertise and solutions to support that mission.”
“DHS Secretary Kristi Noem Attends Drone Demo” by U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), United States Government Work
30 Jul 25. Norway’s Kongsberg and Poland’s Advanced Protection Systems to develop C-UAS. Norway’s Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace has signed a teaming agreement with Poland-based Advanced Protection Systems (APS) to develop and produce counter-unmanned aircraft systems (C-UASs), according to a 29 July Kongsberg press release. APS plans to provide its FIELDctrl radars and SKYctrl C-UASs, according to the release. The co-founder and CEO of APS, Maciej Klemm, said Kongsberg’s “air-defence experience” combined with APS’ radars will result in systems that are “fully interoperable within NATO”. According to the deal, the two companies agreed to exchange sensitive technical information to enable interoperable C-UASs. The two companies also agreed to pursue C-UAS business opportunities and create platforms that combine radars, sensor fusion, command-and-control (C2), and kinetic as well as non-kinetic (soft-kill) systems. According to APS, the SKYctrl C-UAS is a modular radar sensor with 3D multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) radar technology, radar tracking, a radio frequency (RF) sensor, a jammer, and a C2 system. It is capable of tracking multiple targets at once and differentiates between birds and UASs. It can detect UASs using the 3D MIMO radars and its CyView C2 software. CyView tracks the direction, course, and altitude of flying objects in real time. It effectively jams 20 bands, including industrial, scientific, and medical (ISM); very high frequency (VHF); global system for mobile communications (GSM); universal mobile telecommunications system (UMTS); long-term evolution (LTE); and global navigation satellite services (GNSS). The FIELDctrl 3D MIMO radars enable the detection, tracking, and classification of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), featuring a frequency-modulated continuous-wave (FMCW) radar, as previously reported by Janes (Source: Janes)
25 Jul 25. Cuashub.com said today that AirMatrix and Robin Radar introduce integrated C-UAS stack for streamlined drone defense. AirMatrix and Robin Radar Systems have announced a joint solution designed to enhance C-UAS operations. The integrated platform aims to support security teams by connecting drone detection with responsive countermeasures in a unified workflow. AirMatrix develops AI-powered command platforms that combine data from multiple sensors to support decision-making in defense, homeland security, and critical infrastructure contexts.
“Our IRIS drone radar delivers long-range, 3D tracking via micro-Doppler and deep-learning algorithms,” the companies stated. “Libra, AirMatrix’s AI command layer, ingests that radar feed alongside RF, visual EO/IR, acoustic, and remote ID data, automatically classifying objects, predicting flight paths, and triggering tailored responses within seconds.”
The system is designed to reduce false positives and shorten decision-making cycles, enabling small teams to manage complex airspace environments efficiently.
Key features of the integration include:
- Sensor fusion with AI validation to reduce noise and highlight credible threats.
- Unified interface for tracking, verification, and countermeasure deployment.
- Modular architecture compatible with existing VMS, PSIM, and defense networks.
- Support for evolving threats, including nano-drones and drone swarms.
“Very few ecosystems let operators act on those detections in real time. By pairing IRIS’s precision with Libra’s autonomous decision engine, we’re giving security teams clarity, speed, and confidence straight out of the box,” said Ayaan Haider, Co-Founder & CTO of AirMatrix.
“IRIS already leads the market in detection accuracy for small, fast, low-RCS drones,” said Marcel Verdonk, Chief Commercial Officer at Robin Radar Systems. “Linking that precise radar feed to Libra’s common operating picture gives security teams instant, actionable awareness.”
The partnership reflects a shared goal of advancing CUAS operations through automation. By combining detection capabilities with autonomous command systems, AirMatrix and Robin Radar aim to offer a scalable and responsive approach to airspace security.
https://cuashub.com/en/content/airmatrix-and-robin-radar-introduce-integrated-c-uas-stack-for-streamlined-drone-defense/ (Source: https://cuashub.com/)
30 Jul 25. Putin’s Guards Seen with New Anti-Drone Weapon. During a recent visit to St. Petersburg, Russian President Vladimir Putin’s personal security team was spotted with what appears to be a newly developed FPV drone designed specifically for countering hostile unmanned aerial systems. The presence of the drone, visibly carried by a member of the presidential protection unit, has drawn attention due to its unusual size and specialized configuration. According to observers at the scene, one of the security officers accompanying Putin was seen carrying the drone close to the president. The officer reportedly attempted to obscure the system from public view, but the platform’s large frame and distinctive X-shaped layout made concealment difficult. The drone, believed to be an infantry-operated FPV interceptor, features a four-motor cross configuration and a dual-sensor targeting system. Its payload includes a thermal imaging and television-guided seeker head, which allows it to engage aerial targets under low-visibility conditions, including poor weather and nighttime operations. The system is manually directed in its initial targeting phase, but once a target is acquired, it reportedly shifts to autonomous flight. As described, the operator initiates the drone, aligns it toward the target, and waits for lock-on. Once the seeker confirms the target, the drone launches and autonomously tracks and engages the object. Notably, the system is said to operate using a dedicated command and telemetry channel, rather than standard radio frequencies. This design reportedly prevents detection of the operator’s location by enemy electronic warfare or signals intelligence systems. While there has been no official acknowledgment from the Russian Federal Protective Service (FSO), the sighting suggests that Moscow may be fielding short-range, soldier-carried drone interceptors as part of its close-protection toolkit—particularly in response to the growing threat of small UAVs used for surveillance or attacks in urban settings. The emergence of this system near Putin also comes amid increasing concerns in the Russian security establishment about drone threats on domestic soil. Ukraine has repeatedly used FPV drones for tactical strikes deep inside Russian territory, including against infrastructure and military assets. The presence of a compact, portable counter-UAV platform directly in the hands of a presidential guard may reflect a shift toward more immediate and mobile defense solutions. This is the first known instance of such a system being publicly associated with Russia’s top leadership protection units. Analysts say the presence of this technology may indicate that the Kremlin views the threat from airborne drones as immediate and credible—even in urban environments previously considered secure. (Source: UAS VISION/Defence Blog)
28 Jul 25. Cuashub.com said today that a united front: FBI, DOJ, and DHS testify to Congress on the drone threat. On Tuesday July 22, senior figures from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) & Department of Homeland Security (DHS) testified before the Senate Committee on the Judiciary on the threat posed by drones across the United States.
Titled “Securing the Skies: Law Enforcement, Drones, and Public Safety”, the committee hearing saw testimony from:
- Christopher Hardee, Chief, Office of Law and Policy, National Security Division, DOJ
- Michael Torphy, Unit Chief/ Supervisory Special Agent, UAS and Counter-UAS, FBI
- Steven Willoughby, Director, Counter-UAS Program Management, Office of Strategy, Policy and Plans, DHS
“Playing catch-up” as threats evolve
Christopher Hardee and Michael Torphy warned that the U.S. is “playing catch-up as UAS technology continues to develop.” Their testimony outlined how drones are being used for “smuggling contraband cellphones and drugs into correctional facilities,” “illegal surveillance of sensitive government facilities,” and even to “identify a government witness.”
They stressed that “illicit UAS operations present ever-growing risks to public gatherings and other assets,” and called for expanded legal tools to address these threats. “The scope of counter-UAS, or C-UAS, authority should keep up with the threat, as should our criminal laws,” Hardee said.
DHS: Authorities are “limited in scope and duration”
Steven Willoughby emphasized that DHS’s current counter-UAS authorities are set to expire and are “limited in scope and duration.” He urged Congress to act swiftly, stating:
“Without Congressional action, DHS’s ability to protect the public from malicious UAS activity will expire.”
Willoughby highlighted the need for a proactive approach:
“We are operating in a legal landscape that was not designed for the speed and scale of drone proliferation.”
Key Takeaways
- Urgency: All three agencies stressed the need for immediate legislative action ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
- Legal gaps: Current laws do not adequately address the criminal misuse of drones.
- Integrated security: DOJ proposed “building security into the UAS framework” to enable safe integration without compromising public safety.
The officials also endorsed two recent executive orders, Unleashing American Drone Dominance and Restoring American Airspace Sovereignty, as steps toward a more unified national strategy.
Michael Torphy is expected to expand further on these issues at the Counter UAS Technology Conference where he is slated to speak on December 2.
A united front: FBI, DOJ, and DHS testify to Congress on the drone threat
(Source: https://cuashub.com/)
28 Jul 25. Cuashub.com said today that Lithuania investigates possible Russian drone incursions. Lithuanian authorities are continuing to search for an unidentified drone reportedly seen and heard by numerous residents near the Belarusian border and close to Vilnius in the early hours of the morning. The incident, which occurred around 05:00 local time, prompted an immediate response from the Ministry of Defence. By 08:30, officials confirmed that security agencies were investigating the possibility of a drone crash and attempting to locate any potential debris or crash sites. Police confirmed that the search was ongoing and reiterated their warning for civilians to avoid approaching the drone if it is found.
“If you come across any suspicious object, do not touch or go near it – report it immediately,” a police spokesperson said.
The sighting has sparked concern among senior officials, with Justinas Argustas, adviser to the Lithuanian prime minister, announcing that a high-level meeting involving the president and national security agencies is scheduled for the following day. The agenda will focus on evaluating and improving Lithuania’s response protocols to aerial incursions.
“Experience shows that the current measures are neither effective nor sufficient,” Argustas stated.
The drone is believed to have entered Lithuanian airspace from Belarus, based on multiple eyewitness reports along the border region. The last known sighting was near Vilnius. One bystander’s footage suggests the drone may have been a Russian-made Geran or Gerbera – variants of the Shahed-type drone used in attacks on Ukraine – although Lithuanian authorities have yet to confirm the drone’s origin or type. A similar incident occurred on July 10 when a drone later identified as a Gerbera crossed into Lithuanian territory. Notably, the reported sighting coincided with a Russian airstrike on Ukraine during which Poland scrambled fighter jets, a move that has become routine during large-scale aerial attacks near NATO airspace.
(Source: https://cuashub.com/)
30 Jul 25. Quadome radar nears final trials while inspiring South Africa’s next-generation engineers. Ahead of final testing and sea trials, Hensoldt South Africa and the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) demonstrated the home-grown Quadome 3D radar to a group of university students in an effort to inspire future innovators. The Quadome radar is a collaboration between Hensoldt South Africa and the CSIR and represents the largest local radar development programme in recent history. The recent visit included ten radar and electronic warfare students from the University of Pretoria, led by Professor Warren du Plessis, along with four graduate employees from GEW, Hensoldt South Africa’s electronic warfare business unit. The students were given a live demonstration of the Quadome radar’s capabilities, including its rotation, transmission and reception functions, as well as its ability to search for and track airborne targets of opportunity. The system has since been shipped to the Institute for Maritime Technology in Simon’s Town for further evaluation and sea trials.
“This visit was a great opportunity to inspire future innovators and expose them to world-class radar technology being developed right here in South Africa,” said Jaco Botha, Head of Radar Product Strategy for Hensoldt South Africa.
Hensoldt said it maintains strong partnerships with South African tertiary institutions to foster technical qualifications and capabilities that can contribute to South Africa’s defence industry. “By involving students and young professionals in real-world innovation programmes, Hensoldt aims to foster long-term careers in defence technology,” the company said. The Quadome radar system, announced in 2021, is designed for 3D air- and surface-surveillance. It enables the detection and tracking of aircraft and vessels, supporting faster situational assessment and operational response, Hensoldt South Africa said. “Offering advanced features and a competitive price-performance ratio, its compact form factor makes it ideal for platforms such as offshore patrol vessels, corvettes, light frigates and naval support vessels.”
“With Quadome starting its final testing and sea trials, Hensoldt South Africa looks forward to delivering a strategic capability that supports national sovereignty and security while unlocking export opportunities through global deliveries,” the company concluded.
The Quadome already has an export customer, as it was last year selected to equip the UK Royal Fleet Auxiliary’s (RFA’s) three new Fleet Solid Support (FSS) vessels. The FSS ships are being manufactured to support the Royal Navy’s Queen Elizabeth Class aircraft carriers at a cost of £1.6bn. The Quadome radar being supplied to the UK includes an integrated IFF (Identification Friend or Foe) antenna and will integrate into the Hensoldt MSSR 2000 IFF interrogator, already deployed for the UK Royal Navy and RFA. A comprehensive air traffic management display solution is also included as part of the contract. The Quadome radar has a range from 100 metres to 200 km and can process more than 1 000 air and surface targets. It is being developed in land and naval versions, with the naval version launched in 2021 and the land version officially launched in 2022. Hensoldt South Africa’s radar business unit specialises in radar, identification friend or foe (IFF) and datalinks, as well as air traffic management (ATM) and radar services. The business was launched in January 2021 after Hensoldt South Africa acquired the Air Traffic Management (ATM) and Defence & Security business units of Tellumat at the end of 2020. (Source: https://www.defenceweb.co.za/)
28 Jul 025. Raytheon, an RTX (NYSE: RTX) business launched its newest Multispectral Targeting System variant, MTS-A HD, that offers significant visual enhancements for maritime helicopter operations. This next-generation variant delivers improved targeting precision, imaging clarity, and expanded operational flexibility for naval helicopter platforms. Raytheon is collaborating with industry and commercial partners on the new variant to accelerate production and reduce system costs.
“Navy helicopter pilots need the clearest possible view when flying in hostile areas,” said Bryan Rosselli, president of Advanced Products & Solutions at Raytheon. “Our new high-definition sensor system provides aircrews with superior visual capability, allowing them to make faster and more informed decisions when it matters most.”
MTS-A HD builds on Raytheon’s proven MTS family of sensors, which are already in use on over 400 U.S. Navy helicopters. The system’s modular architecture allows for seamless integration and a cost-effective upgrade path for existing MTS users while providing enhanced capabilities. MTS-A HD is also attracting significant international interest spanning Australia, Denmark, Saudi Arabia, India, Norway, Greece, Spain, South Korea and emerging markets in Europe and Asia. (Source: PR Newswire)
29 Jul 25. Blighter (www.blighter.com), a pioneering designer and manufacturer of Smart electronic-scanning radars, has deployed its dual-mode Blighter C400 series coastline surveillance technology to protect offshore oil platforms and an onshore refinery in Equatorial Guinea, a Petro-piracy hotspot off the West African coast. Blighter’s C400 series radars have been proven to be highly effective in targeting the growing problem of piracy. It is estimated that the illegal black market for stolen oil is worth over US$1 bn. The radars in Equatorial Guinea are now fully operational following system configuration and training. According to Blighter, its customer needed a compact coastline radar system that was easy to install, ultra-reliable and could detect, track and classify the small shallow-draught vessels favoured by oil pirates and militants, which typically sit low in the water and move at speed. It was vital that the radar sensor selected provided detection day and night in all weather conditions, including heavy rain, fog and during thunderstorms.
James Long, Blighter’s CEO, says: “We know that oil pirates are highly organised and often choose to exploit harsh weather conditions to evade detection with many only becoming active during heavy rains or high sea states. Our C400 radar systems were chosen to plug the gap in our customer’s defences as our sensors are specifically designed to detect even the smallest uncooperative targets in complex, cluttered and extreme environments.”
Blighter’s C400 radars have several features that make them suitable for coastline surveillance, and particularly for detecting uncooperative targets. First, the compact design and low-power electronically scanning and frequency-modulated continuous-wave (FMCW) technologies contains no moving parts. This ensures ease of installation and ultra-reliable operation with minimal maintenance even in the harshest marine conditions. The C400 series is IP66-rated and MIL-STD-810F compliant.
Second, the Blighter C400 series radar uses advanced Doppler signal processing to provide the ability to precisely examine the motion of waterborne objects with respect to waves or ripples on the water surface. Unlike traditional Doppler radars, the C400 series characterises non-moving targets using the static target detector so that moored boats, buoys and other structures remain visible on the radar screen.
Third, the radar’s built-in sea clutter filter automatically adapts to changing sea states and wave conditions to remove the unwanted radar signal produced by waves using both velocity (speed) and amplitude (height) characteristics.
Blighter radar’s e-scan antenna technology and FMCW design also allows it to be mounted high on offshore platforms and onshore towers and still detect targets close to the platform or shore as well as those further away. In Equatorial Guinea, the detection range of the C400 radars is around 20km. Importantly, all of the radars deployed are networked together to provide onshore controllers with a common operating picture (COP) of the offshore and onshore facilities.
“We are delighted to see that our radar technology is continuing to be used to combat the costly problem of Petro-piracy in the oil and gas industry,” says James Long, Blighter’s CEO. “Our C400 radars have proved to be highly effective against piracy and their dual mode operation allows detection of small and/or slow-moving boats at sea as well as ground targets such as intruders on the coastline shore.”
The Blighter C400 series radar can be integrated into a larger coastal security system incorporating day/night and fog penetrating electro-optical camera systems, AIS (automatic identification system), other boat transponder/tracking systems and CCTV. These elements can all be controlled through Blighter’s command and control (C2) software platform.
Blighter C400 series radars are also suitable for other coastal security applications including seaport security surveillance and water-side security of land based coastal assets, such as desalination plants, nuclear power stations, palaces and other high value assets.
For more information about the Blighter C400 coastline surveillance radar, please visit www.blighter.com, telephone +44 1223 491122 or email . Or come and meet the team on Stand N6-166 at the DSEI Defence and Security show taking place at the ExCel Centre in London, from 9-12 September 2025.
21 Jul 25. Red/Blue team exercise to test C-UAS for law enforcement. INTERPOL, the United States Border Patrol, Blue Light Digital and UAS Norway are hosting a multi-day drill designed to push counter-uncrewed aerial systems (C-UAS) capabilities to the limit. IDICE 2025 will be held in San Diego, California on 9-11 September. This is the second part of the programme, following an exercise in Seville, Spain in May, where the focus was on testing C-UAS against commercial off-the-shelf and custom-made UAS in complex urban environments. The San Diego exercise will feature real-time drone threat simulations where participants will experience both the offensive and defensive aspects of modern C-UAS operations. A team of skilled drone operators will simulate various threats, from surveillance and smuggling to more complex challenges like swarm attacks and electronic warfare tactics. The defensive team will deploy the latest drone detection, identification and neutralisation technologies to protect critical infrastructure, public safety and law enforcement operations. Scenarios will include urban drone threats, border security challenges, VIP and convoy protection, passive and active system deployments, and countering 4G drones. Expert analysis and feedback will be provided on systems used and best practices. Interested parties must register their interest by July 24. (Source: www.unmannedairspace.info)
22 Jul 25. EASA finalises means of compliance for SAIL III. The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), supported by the Airworthiness Task Force of the UAS Technical Body (TeB), has released comprehensive airworthiness guidance for unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) that are not required to be certified in accordance with Regulation (EU) 748/2012 (Part 21). New means of compliance (proposed MoC to OSO #2 and MoC to OSO #8), currently under consultation, complete the technical framework needed to enable the operation of drones under a declarative framework (those classified as specific assurance and integrity level (SAIL) III under the specific operation risk assessment – SORA). These means of compliance cover organisational aspects, flight manual, structures and configuration control, with particular attention paid to the management of design changes. Stakeholders are invited to comment before September 12, 2025. For SAIL IV, UAS designers are required to receive a design verification report (DVR) for their product. To support this process, EASA has published a reference table to assist DVR applicants in proposing means of compliance to Special Condition Light UAS. The table outlines ways applicants can meet each requirement of the Special Condition, using EASA’s published means of compliance and recognised standards. The table, which also provides information on ongoing activities in this field, is a living document and will be updated by EASA whenever new significant material will become available. (Source: www.unmannedairspace.info)
25 Jul 25. “Ukraine’s Kvertus deploys ‘Berserk’ C-UAS robotic electronic warfare system to the battlefield.” Ukraine’s United24 news outlet reports a ground-based robotic electronic warfare system known as Kvertus AD Berserk, designed to counter a range of enemy drone activities, has entered serial production in Ukraine. The announcement was made on July 21 by Yaroslav Filimonov, CEO of the defense technology company Kvertus, through official channels, said the report.
“The Berserk robot can disrupt control signals across all frequency bands used by FPV drones, multirotor drones, and aerial bombers. According to the manufacturer, the system has a 20 km operational range, can remain active for up to 12 hours, and is remotely controlled from a similar distance of up to 20 km.
The company said the platform will support: evacuation of wounded personnel from frontline positions; cover during demining operations; Protection of logistics routes.
“Kvertus has confirmed that multiple orders are already in progress, underscoring demand for the system’s battlefield-tested effectiveness,” said the report. “The firm also emphasized that its technologies are undergoing monthly upgrades, with engineers continuing to enhance performance in response to evolving threats. he Berserk system was developed on the basis of a nationally produced mobile platform and integrates high-capacity battery power, rugged terrain mobility, and multi-spectrum jamming systems.
For more information: https://united24media.com/latest-news/ukraine-deploys-new-berserk-robot-to-jam-enemy-drones-protect-troops-at-front-10070 (Source: www.unmannedairspace.info)
26 Jul 25. Thor Dynamics invited to demonstrate directed energy C-UAS at USSOCOM event. U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) has selected Thor Dynamics to demonstrate its Laser Armor counter-uncrewed aerial system (C-UAS) platform at the command’s invitation-only Technical Experimentation (TE) 25-3 event. Laser Armor is a directed energy system that provides a scalable, and ammunition-free option for neutralising drone swarms. It is designed for integration into existing C2 architectures. TE 25-3, which runs from September 8-12, will identify potential Technology Readiness Level (TRL) of 3 or greater technology solutions, to meet special operations forces objectives. (Source: www.unmannedairspace.info)
28 Jul 25. US/Ukraine deepen ties with Ukraine drone export and Swift Beat deals. On July 24, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky announced that he has reached an agreement with U.S. President Donald Trump for the United States will purchase drones, many of them C-UAS intercept drones from Ukraine, according to Ukrinform. Zelensky said this while speaking to journalists on July 24.
“With America, with President Trump, we agreed that they will buy drones from us. That’s the agreement. I have tasked [NSDC Secretary] Umerov, [Defense Minister] Shmyhal, and [Advisor to President on strategic affairs] Kamyshin with handling this. It’s very important to prepare this contract — a serious contract worth USD10–20–30 bn,” Zelensky stated in the article.
This follows the signing of a memorandum between Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense and Swift Beat, LLC “which will enable scaling up the production of interceptor drones capable of shooting down large numbers of Shaheds,” according to Volodymyr Zelenskyy, in a presidential statement. Before the memorandum signing, the Head of State met with Swift Beat, LLC CEO Eric Schmidt to discuss increasing the production of modern drones for Ukraine. “This is a co-production document between Ukraine and the United States. It will involve several companies focusing on various types of drones. But the most important thing is this year and next year. This year – hundreds of thousands of drones. And next year – there will be an increase,” Volodymyr Zelenskyy said. The President emphasized that the main component of the document is the production of interceptor drones, which have already proven effective in Ukraine.
For more information: https://www.president.gov.ua/en/news/memorandum-mizh-ukrayinoyu-ta-amerikanskoyu-kompaniyeyu-swif-98817/https://www.ukrinform.net/rubric-defense/4018767-zelensky-us-agrees-to-buy-ukrainian-drones.html (Source: www.unmannedairspace.info)
30 Jul 25. Indonesia’s Elang Hitam surveillance UAV makes maiden flight. West Java International Airport (BIJB) in Majalengka on 28 July. (PTDI) Indonesian state-owned aerospace company PT Dirgantara Indonesia (PTDI) announced on 29 July that its Elang Hitam (Black Eagle) unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) has made its maiden flight. PTDI said the Elang Hitam medium-altitude long-endurance (MALE) UAV was tested at West Java International Airport (BIJB) in Majalengka on 28 July. Elang Hitam is designed to conduct intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) operations. It features an open and modular architecture to enable further developments based on mission requirements. Elang Hitam can currently fly for up to 24 hours at altitudes of up to 20,000 ft, PTDI added. This UAV has been developed by a PTDI-led consortium that includes Indonesia’s Agency for the Assessment and Application of Technology (BPPT), National Institute of Aeronautics and Space (LAPAN), and Bandung Institute of Technology. The development was supported by the Ministry of Defense (MoD) and the Indonesian Air Force, PTDI added. “The flight test serves as a proof of concept for mastering key technologies [incorporated in Elang Hitam], which include the system configuration design, automatic flight control system, and long-range communication system. This proof of concept serves as a basic reference for further development of MALE UAVs in line with national requirements,” Moh Arif Faisal, director of Commerce, Technology, and Development at PTDI, said. During the test, a PTDI-owned Kodiak aircraft acted as the chase aircraft for Elang Hitam to monitor its performance and ensure flight safety, PTDI said. The tests will continue until the UAV obtains “official certification from the relevant authorities”, PTDI added. (Source: Janes)
25 Jul 25. Cuashub.com said today that UND partners with National Guard to advance C-UAS training. Last week, the University of North Dakota (UND), in collaboration with local military leadership, showcased its latest training efforts aimed at enhancing the US armed forces’ C-UAS capabilities and operational readiness. In partnership with the North Dakota Army and Air National Guard, UND Aerospace hosted a series of training exercises at Gorman Field UAS Test Range, located just south of Grand Forks Air Force Base. According to Paul Snyder, director of UND’s UAS program, the recent session marked the fifth in a series conducted over the past six months. These exercises were established through a Memorandum of Understanding with both the Air and Army National Guard. Previous sessions were held at Camp Grafton, an Army National Guard installation near Devils Lake, N.D. The training scenarios simulate adversarial drone activity, with UND operating small UAS aircraft to challenge Army command posts. Overhead, UND’s Boeing Insitu Scan Eagle and the Air Guard’s General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper provide aerial oversight. Snyder emphasized the strategic value of Gorman Field for these operations. The 33-acre site boasts advanced radar capabilities and holds a waiver for beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) flight operations.
Colonel Ryan Ayers, deputy commander of the Fargo-based 119th Wing of the North Dakota Air National Guard, praised the region’s robust UAS ecosystem.
“I can’t think of any other environment like this in the world,” he said. “When you have an environment like this, there is so much goodness you can tap into. We’re essentially selling an environment where you can study, train or research whatever you want to do.”
The collaborative environment also supports education and workforce development – critical components in a field defined by rapid technological evolution.
“Having all these students who are able to be a part of this is exciting, because they are fully engaged and learning about this stuff,” Snyder said. “They are going to come up with the next big idea.”
Colonel Ayers noted that the realism of these exercises allows for effective training while minimizing risk.
“Maybe you have a new student who you feel isn’t quite savvy enough with air traffic control restrictions, and having them bust out of airspace right now would put this at risk,” he said. “Flying the simulated asset can be their 101 ride – because the instructor can correct them, there’s no risk, and they’re still getting all the sets and reps of how to coordinate airspace.”
(Source: https://cuashub.com/)
25 Jul 25. Cuashub.com said today that NTS and XTEND announce strategic partnership to advance C-UAS capabilities. NexTech Solutions LLC (NTS), a provider of C-UAS solutions, has announced a strategic partnership with XTEND, a developer of AI-enabled UAS. The collaboration aims to deliver advanced tactical solutions for defense and government clients by integrating NTS’s operational expertise with XTEND’s autonomous drone technologies. NTS brings extensive experience in C-UAS strategy, deployment, and sustainment, supporting defense and intelligence operations across complex environments. XTEND’s drone platforms, known for their autonomous capabilities and user-friendly interfaces, will be incorporated to enhance mission readiness and threat response.
Key Features of the Partnership Include:
- Customized C-UAS planning, integration, and support from NTS
- AI-driven drone systems from XTEND for real-time aerial engagement
- Precision-focused kinetic engagement options with minimal collateral impact
- Rapid deployment capabilities for both tactical and strategic missions
“XTEND is a leader in the UAS space, and we are excited to partner with them to execute CUAS missions, leveraging their top-of-the-line platforms,” said Joe Paull, CEO of NTS. “This partnership enhances our ability to deliver robust CUAS mission support and protect high-value assets in an increasingly contested air domain.”
NTS will oversee systems integration, operational deployment, training, and lifecycle support to ensure seamless adoption and field performance of the C-UAS platforms.
According to the press release, both NTS and XTEND are aiming to set “a new standard for CUAS operations – providing defense and government agencies with mission-ready tools to detect, assess, and neutralize aerial threats with speed, precision, and confidence.”
Earlier this year, XTEND entered into another strategic partnership, this time with fellow Israeli company Sentrycs, integrating Sentrycs’ protocol manipulation-based counter-drone technology – commonly referred to as Cyber over RF – with XTEND’s AI-driven autonomous platforms and its proprietary operating system, XOS.
NTS and XTEND announce strategic partnership to advance C-UAS capabilities
(Source: https://cuashub.com/)
25 Jul 25. Cuashub.com said today that 6 ways Taiwan can learn from Ukraine’s counter-drone strategy. Taiwan’s defense planners are increasingly focused on the threat posed by China’s growing drone arsenal. PLA forces routinely deploy UAS around Taiwan’s coast and drones would likely factor heavily in any Taiwan-China conflict. Ukraine has already done much of the hard work in learning how to fight an asymmetric war against a far larger adversary, making its battle-hardened counter-UAS tactics especially relevant to Taiwan. As Auterion CEO Lorenz Meier put it, “the lessons learned from the war in Ukraine are definitely applicable to a potential conflict with China.” The U.S. Senate has explicitly cited China’s “advancing capabilities” in UAS as a driver for new counter-drone funding under the Replicator initiative. Taiwan, which lacks the military capabilities that the U.S. does, would struggle to defend against the coordinated, swarm tactics that China would likely deoloy. Facing a one of the world’s leaders in offensive UAS capabilities, Taiwan is wisely studying Ukraine’s experience to harden its own counter-UAS posture. Below we take a look at six of the key elements of Ukraine’s counter-UAS approach that Taiwan could apply in its own defensive efforts.
- Deploy decentralized counter-UAS units
Ukraine’s experience shows the power of small, mobile drone-defense teams rather than large, slow centralized batteries. In practice, Ukraine abandoned hierarchical military structures in favor of decentralized ‘islands of forces’ that encourage rapid adaptation. For example, pickup-truck–mounted teams armed with net launchers, jammers or even rifles loaded with special counter-drone rounds can be trained in hours and dispatched immediately. In Ukraine, such grassroots teams were able to shoot down enemy drones after as little as six hours of training. Taiwan can mimic this model by creating regional defense cells, each equipped with portable jammers, net-guns or improvised AA weapons, giving them autonomy to detect and down drones locally. This distributed approach also spreads risk. If one node is hit, nearby teams can still cover the area, avoiding single points of failure.
- Integrate civilian tech into defense
Ukraine rapidly harnessed off-the-shelf electronics and open-source tools to fill capability gaps. For instance, Ukrainian innovators built the Sky Fortress acoustic sensor network out of cheap components, using cell phone CPUs to process microphone data and detect the sound of incoming drones. Each sensor costs only a few hundred dollars and can be deployed in minutes, turning ordinary hardware into an air-defense system. Open-source software also played a role with developers reusing autopilot code and other civilian drone tech for both offensive and defensive drones. Taiwan has the advantage of time which offers the ability to prepare dedicated systems based on the lessons learned in Ukraine. However, should Taiwan’s military capabilities fall short in the event of a Chinese invasion, its large electronics industry and hobbyist community could similarly be mobilized. Smartphone processors, homemade radars or acoustic arrays could all be repurposed for drone detection and jamming. By tapping commercial innovation for cheaper sensors, DIY software, etc., Taiwan can scale up its counter-UAS toolkit quickly and affordably, just as Ukraine did.
- Use AI and machine learning for threat detection
Ukraine has shown that machine learning can greatly sharpen drone warnings. Its acoustic detection systems have been trained on large libraries of drone and missile sounds so they can recognize incoming threats in real time.
Even when Russian operators tried to mask their drones’ engines, the ML models still identified targets with only a 3 percent drop in accuracy. Taiwan could employ similar AI-driven sensors, not just acoustic, but also radar or RF classifiers, that learn the signatures of new drone types.
For example, AI-powered radar could learn to pick out drone flight patterns in cluttered terrain, or neural nets could analyze intercepted control frequencies for swarm behavior. By fusing AI/ML with traditional sensors, Taiwan would gain early warning of drone swarms or hostile UAS trajectories, giving air defenses more time to respond.
DroneShield’s DroneSentry-C2 counter-drone command-and-control system. Credit DroneShield
- Harden critical infrastructure against drone strikes
Russia has used relatively cheap attack drones to strike Ukraine’s power plants, communication hubs, ports and supply lines. Taiwan’s similar targets, power grids, ports, factories and cell towers, would likely be key targets tempting to a Chinese drone offensive.
Taiwan, being a much smaller nation than Ukraine, relies on fewer critical infrastructure facilities. In light of this, the defence of each facility becomes much more vital as Taiwan possesses much less redundancy in for example, its energy infrastructure. Due to its smaller size, Taiwan also lacks the relative safety of a ‘rear zone,’ meaning all of Taiwan could effectively become a frontline in the event of an aerial invasion.
Taiwan has the advantage of an opportunity to pre-deploy counter-UAS defenses around these critical sites. This could include jamming devices that scramble drone GPS, RF monitors that alert to any drone control signals and passive detectors (acoustic or thermal) that cover key sites.
By hardening facilities, for instance with redundant power feeds, hardened communications and mobile counter-UAS units on standby, Taiwan can attempt to blunt the effects of drone attacks. Specialized measures like GPS-spoof detection and networked RF sensors can also help spot stealthy recon drones before they reach key assets.
RELATED CONTENT: Taiwan unveils ‘Overkill’ suicide drone, inspired by Ukraine
- Develop a national drone defense network
Ukraine has built a nationwide grid of detectors and linked them into a common picture. For example, the Sky Fortress network now numbers over 14,000 sensors across the country, with plans to add another 15,000 and the Zvook network reportedly covers 5 percent of Ukrainian territory.
These microphones all feed into centralized alert systems, creating a 360-degree “threat map” for defenders. Taiwan can emulate this by creating a unified counter-UAS network that ties together military radars, police cameras, civilian spotting posts and even volunteer sensors.
In practice, that means standardized datalinks and shared software so that if any one node (say a police station or coastal radar) picks up a drone, all agencies are warned instantly. Such integration makes intelligence sharing automatic.
Ukraine’s experience shows that linking these local alerts transforms them into real-time actionable intelligence. The Taiwanese government could coordinate a public-private program, perhaps crowdsourcing sensor data via apps, and establish a single “drone situation center” to fuse inputs from every source. This national grid would help spot swarm launches from any direction and cue interceptors or jammers to the precise locations identified.
The Zvook acoustic detection system at the presentation of the Brave1 platform. Credit: Brave1
- Train civilians in passive drone defense
In Ukraine, civilians have become the first line of warning for drone attacks. A volunteer phone app, called ePPO, lets ordinary people report any flying object, drone or missile. Users point their smartphone at the target and hit a button, instantly alerting military defense forces.
The goal is to “enlist the entire population” in spotting threats before they hit critical areas. Taiwan could launch a similar public-awareness campaign and easy-reporting app. Especially in rural or coastal regions, where official radar may be sparse, trained spotters and app users could feed real-time sightings to the national counter-UAS grid.
Even simple measures like encouraging citizens to use emergency services numbers or a dedicated drone-spotting hotline could be effective. By training volunteers in distinguishing drone silhouettes and sound signatures, Taiwan would create thousands of extra “eyes on the sky.”
These passive defenses would multiply Taiwan’s vigilance much like air-raid spotter networks of old, forming a low-cost, community-based layer of defense that buys precious seconds.
6 ways Taiwan can learn from Ukraine’s counter-drone strategy
(Source: https://cuashub.com/)
23 Jul 25. Canada firms up plans for Australian-developed over-the-horizon radar. Australia and Canada have solidified their bilateral cooperation as Ottawa moves towards adoption of over-the-horizon radar (OTHR) technology on offer from Australia. On 18 July, Australia’s Department of Defence announced that a new technology partnership agreement to support this aim had been signed. This revelation came exactly four months after Canada declared that it wished to establish such a radar network to protect its arctic borders. Some 40% of Canadian territory sits above the Arctic Circle, and it requires improved domain awareness to close gaps in coverage of its icy periphery. Australia already fields such an OTHR system, which is known as the Jindalee Operational Radar Network (JORN). Obviously, however, Australia’s system endures very different environmental conditions than what Canada faces. Australia stated, “The signing of this agreement will enable Australia and Canada to work across government and industry to investigate technical challenges associated with OTHR operation in the arctic, to further develop JORN technology, and to conduct detailed planning for the development, manufacturing and commissioning of a new Canadian OTHR capability.” Australia’s Defence Science and Technology Group will collaborate with Defence Research and Development Canada and Canada’s Department of National Defence Digital Services Group. Based on their respective expertise in JORN and arctic operation of high-frequency (HF) radars, they will jointly pursue advancements that bring mutual benefit. JORN allows Australia to detect objects in the air or on the sea at range of up to some 3,000km away. The OTHR system bounces HF radio signals off the ionosphere, and it relies upon three radar antenna arrays in far-flung sites – Longreach, Queensland; Laverton, Western Australia; and Alice Springs, Northern Territory. BAE Systems Australia has been managing JORN since 2018. It declined to comment on the pending Australia-Canada deal, though Ashley Searl, Director of the company’s Battlespace Integrated Solutions, told Asian Military Review that ionosphere conditions “are very important to how the system operates. I guess a lot of the smarts in JORN is understanding what different ionospheric conditions can give you in terms of performance.” He acknowledged that one of JORN’s strengths is adjusting itself to match conditions of the day. Searl also added, “You can select how you operate it. You can do it over broader areas or narrower areas, depending on where your mission set is.” BAE Systems Australia is currently implementing a decade-long upgrade of JORN under Project Air 2025 Phase 6. This contract awarded in 2018 represents a midlife upgrade that introduces new digital waveform transmitters and receivers, and it extends JORN’s operational life till at least 2042. Back in March, the Canadian government stated, “This partnership will include developing Canada’s Arctic Over-the-Horizon Radar (A-OTHR) system, an investment of more than C$6bn [US$4.3bn] that will provide early-warning radar coverage from threats to the Arctic.” The A-OTHR network would also contribute data to the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) modernisation plan. This bilateral cooperation does not yet represent an acquisition contract. Canberra stated, “This agreement demonstrates our shared commitment to security through investment in cutting-edge technology and opens the door to what maybe a potentially significant export opportunity for Australian industry.” If a deal is eventually inked, it would be one of Australia’s most lucrative defence exports ever. (Source: AMR)
25 Jul 25. L3Harris and ELT Group to Establish Multi-Sensor Test Facility in Italy. L3Harris Technologies (NYSE: LHX) has partnered with ELT Group, the Italian global leader in electromagnetic spectrum operations, to establish a multi-sensor test facility for commercial, military and government programs. This collaboration marks the first time an Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) test and calibration facility of this type will be available outside of the United States. L3Harris and ELT Group will work together to create an in-country center of excellence for the Italian military and allied nations.
“L3Harris’ industry partnerships deliver long-term benefits that support Italian businesses, while also maximizing mission readiness for military units,” said Jon Rambeau, President, Integrated Mission Systems, L3Harris. “This new sensor test facility further strengthens Italy’s defence infrastructure.”
The new facility will support the G550 Joint Airborne Multi-Mission, Multi-Sensor System and Electronic Attack aircraft along with other air, surface and maritime platforms.
“ELT Group is pleased to be selected as a partner company for this important program, bringing forward more than 70 years of expertise supporting allies in ISR, multi-mission and electronic attack operational support,” said Domitilla Benigni, CEO and COO of ELT Group. “This cooperation marks the first step in developing next-generation capabilities in the Italian test and operational range environment.” (Source: ASD Network)
29 Jul 25. DroneShield, a global leader in counter-unmanned aerial systems (CUAS) technology, is proud to announce its participation in Project FlyTrap, a multinational defense initiative led by the U.S. Army V Corps. This critical exercise, running from June to August 2025 in Germany and Poland, brings together United States and United Kingdom forces to advance CUAS capabilities in response to rapidly evolving aerial threats on the modern battlefield. DroneShield has been exclusively focused on CUAS technology for over 11 years and has deployed nearly 4,000 units across more than 40 countries. Notably, DroneShield’s counter-drone technologies have been deployed to Ukraine since the onset of the conflict, proving their reliability and effectiveness in real-world combat. This battle-tested experience further highlights the company’s commitment to providing proven, operational solutions for countering drone threats and has made it a key player in the defense sector.
“CUAS is no longer optional—it’s essential. We see exercises like Project FlyTrap as crucial to testing technology before it gets into the warfighter’s hands,” said Tom Branstetter, VP of Business Development and Sales at DroneShield. “We’re honored that our technology is playing a role in shaping the future of CUAS operations and supporting the mission readiness of our allied forces.”
Project FlyTrap reflects the ongoing evolution of counter-drone efforts among NATO allies, particularly in response to the escalating drone threats observed in recent conflicts, such as the war in Ukraine. By participating in this exercise, DroneShield continues to reinforce its position as a trusted partner in the defense industry and a key enabler of future-ready security solutions.
28 Jul 25. UK to host expansion of German anti-drone firm Alpine Eagle. A German startup developing what it calls the world’s first airborne counter-drone system has announced plans to expand into the United Kingdom as part of a growing defence technology presence. Munich-based Alpine Eagle confirmed it has appointed a former Royal Navy aerospace engineer, Michael Golden, as its new UK Head amid growing interest in technologies that can counter the threat of cheap, disposable drones on the modern battlefield. The announcement follows Alpine Eagle’s participation in Project Vanaheim, a Ministry of Defence-run trial designed to explore new methods for detecting and defeating uncrewed aerial systems (UAS). The exercise, conducted with UK and US military forces, comes amid a wider effort by NATO nations to adapt to drone-enabled warfare, driven in large part by lessons from Ukraine. Alpine Eagle’s system, known as Sentinel, is designed to be mounted on airborne platforms and used to detect and track hostile drones. Unlike many existing ground-based counter-UAS systems, Sentinel operates air-to-air and is being pitched as a scalable solution for protecting critical infrastructure and deployed forces. According to the company, the system has already been supplied to the German military and is aimed at filling what it describes as a persistent capability gap in counter-drone operations. Golden, who also previously worked as a management consultant at McKinsey, said in a statement: “The UK and Europe face the same challenge, and the UK’s military strength and influence on the world stage mean that it must be an integral part of the solution. Any solution built has to be by Europe, including the UK, for Europe.” The move comes as Germany and the United Kingdom deepen defence cooperation under a new bilateral pact signed this month. Alpine Eagle’s expansion also reflects growing investor confidence in European defence startups, with the firm recently securing £9 m in seed funding from IQ Capital and General Catalyst.
Alpine Eagle CEO Jan-Hendrik Boelens said the Ukraine conflict had prompted a rethinking of defence procurement and industrial policy. “By investing in local talent like Michael, developing strategic partnerships with local businesses and developing local manufacturing capacity, we’re committed to working with the UK as part of our wider mission to build European defence capabilities,” he said.
The company says it intends to establish a UK base not just for business development but also for manufacturing, research and future exports. Project Vanaheim is one of several initiatives under the UK’s new Strategic Defence Review aimed at accelerating adoption of digital and autonomous technologies. (Source: News Now/https://ukdefencejournal.org.uk/)
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Echodyne is a U.S. designer and manufacturer of advanced commercial radar solutions for defense and national security applications. The company’s proprietary metamaterials electronically scanned array (MESA®) architecture, a rare breakthrough in advanced radar engineering, leverages a physics-design approach to adapt conventional materials and deliver unexpected and beneficial behavior. The result is a solid-state, low-SWaP unit coupled with advanced software capabilities that delivers superior radar performance and unparalleled data integrity, radically improving system performance and enhancing safety for people and machines. With leading positions in counter-UAS, force protection, base security, and portable ISR, Defense Agencies and Suppliers rely on Echodyne radar for extraordinary accuracy and consistent, reliable operation. For more information, please visit: Echodyne.com.
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