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04 Mar 22. Elettronica presented the Snow Leopard evolution of its ADRIAN counter-drone system during a recent NATO exercise held in Sestriere northwest Italy. Snow Leopard can be deployed in extreme conditions and used while mobile. These capabilities have been realised through Artificial Intelligence (AI) techniques applied to signal process and imagery analysis.
For this specific demonstration, the system was installed on a BV S7 vehicle of the Italian Army. However; the system can be easily installed on other vehicle types, and also be used for the protection of fixed targets.
Based on the operational requirement and concept of use, the counter-drone system uses electro-optical devices and an electronic support measure to detect and locate the drone and its ground control station via its radio signals. This guarantees the identification and classification of drones at sufficient distances to ensure an adequate response time. Elettronica paid particular attention to the system’s user interface which allows Snow Leopard to be used in even the most adverse operating conditions.
“Elettronica has long supported NATO with respect to increasingly challenging operational needs in extreme environments. This has culminated in the Snow Leopard counter-drone system designed for mobile operations and conceived with advanced AI algorithms; a direct result of the company’s considerable investment in research and development.” Says Paolo Izzo, Elettronica’s Chief Sales Officer.
04 Mar 22. RoK Military to Conduct Domestic Flight Test of AESA Radar. South Korea will begin the first domestic performance test on a locally developed radar system, the active electronically scanned array(AESA). The radar will be installed on the KF-21 fighter jet, which is currently being developed. The domestic test program comes after an overseas test held last year, according to the Defense Acquisition Program Administration on Friday. In the test, set to begin in mid-March and last through April of next year, the radar will be mounted on a modified B-737 aircraft to assess 62 evaluation categories over 50 different flights. The radar’s detection and tracking capabilities in air-to-air mode will also be tested. The arms procurement agency said the test is designed to optimize the software and reduce operational risks. If the test is successful, the radar will then be installed on the KF-21 and run performance tests through 2026. The AESA radar system is key to identifying ground targets and airborne enemy craft while possessing the ability to trace several targets simultaneously. (Source: News Now/http://world.kbs.co.kr/)
03 Mar 22. Ukraine conflict: Netherlands to supply weapon locating radars to Ukraine. The Netherlands Ministry of Defence (MoD) is to supply two Squire manportable 2D ground surveillance radars and five AN/TPQ-36 Firefinder weapon locating radars to Ukraine. The Thales Squire radar is used for 2D ground surveillance and target acquisition together with artillery fire adjustment. It is capable of detecting individuals walking at ranges exceeding 10 km and moving tank-sized vehicles at up to 48 km. Shell impacts can be detected at ranges of up to 20 km and micro unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) at 5–6 km. The total system weight – including tripod, cables, headset, carrying harnesses, and battery pack – is less than 45 kg. AN/TPQ-36(V) is a 3D mobile phased array radar that automatically locates hostile mortars, artillery, and rocket launchers. The radar can handle simultaneous fire from weapons at multiple locations, provide ‘first round’ location, and generate an electronic ‘curtain’ over a 90° sector. The system weighs 1,134 kg and its operator shelter is carried by either a High-Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle or a 2.75-tonne truck, which can be located up to 50 m from the unmanned antenna-transceiver assembly. In November 2015 the US Army delivered two AN/TPQ-36 radars to Ukraine as part of a USD20 million US aid programme for military and technical co-operation. The Netherlands MoD expects delivery of the goods to Ukraine to take one or two weeks. The radar systems come from the MoD’s operational reserves and will have to be replenished to avoid an adverse effect on the Netherlands’ capability. Training programmes are necessary for the operators to be able to make effective use of the Squire radars, which requires up to three months. Since the AN/TPQ-36 radars are already in service with Ukraine, training on them will not be required. If needed, it remains to be seen whether training will be given in the Netherlands or in Ukraine. In addition to these systems, two mine detection robots, Barrett sniper rifles, and helmets and ballistic vests are set to be supplied by the Netherlands to Ukraine. (Source: Janes)
01 Mar 22. US Army Trains With M-LIDS Counter-Drone System in Kuwait. US soldiers with the 4th Infantry Division trained with the Mobile Low, Vehicle Integrated Defense System (M-LIDS) vehicle-mounted counter-drone system in Kuwait as part of the multi-national anti-ISIS formation Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve in Iraq and Syria. The Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected vehicle-mounted system uses a combination of sensors to detect aerial threats before disabling them, either through electronic jamming or destroying them with a 30mm cannon or the Coyote small drone. The army has been investing in the Leonardo DRS system since 2017 under its LIDS program to counter small drone threats. The service awarded a $42m M-LIDS contract and extended it by $190m in 2020.U.S. Soldiers with the 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, conduct Mobile Low, Slow, Small Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Integrated Defense System (M-LIDS) training, Camp Buehring, Kuwait, Jan. 25, 2022. Despite the recent award, the system is only a temporary solution for the joint forces, as the military is narrowing its counter-drone options from 40 to 8. The army’s Joint Counter Small Unmanned Aerial Systems Office (JCO) announced a list of eight counter-drone systems for future investment and deployment in June 2020. The M-LIDS was not on the list. The selected systems are divided into four categories: fixed/semi-fixed systems, mounted/mobile systems, dismounted/handheld systems, and command and control. JCO director Maj. Gen. Sean Gainey explained the strategy: “Our goal is to align existing and future Counter-UAS technology solutions to best address operational needs while applying resources more efficiently. This is really why the organization was stood up — to eliminate the redundancy that was being fielded. So essentially moving forward, we will focus our investments.” (Source: UAS VISION)
01 Mar 22. Cambridge Pixel Leads Radar Electronics Market with Release of New 3D Tracker. A UK- based SME specialising in the development of radar display, tracking and recording sub-systems launches a new air defence tracker for non-rotating radars. Cambridge Pixel has launched a new software-based radar tracker for manufacturers and integrators of deployed E-scan (electronic) radars. These are radars that can be steered electronically and do not require a mechanically rotating antenna. Such a design reduces the radar cross-section and infrared signature of an installation, making it altogether more ergonomic and robust for deployment in ground-based security surveillance applications or in air defence.
The new SPx Tracker-3D is a primary/IFF radar tracker, with automatic track initiation that takes in plots (rather than video) from the sensor to create and maintain tracks, which can be output in ASTERIX format for external display or fusion processing. The software is capable of tracking up to 4000 targets, and allows users to configure target dynamics and heights appropriately, associating new plots with existing tracks, so that positions can be accurately updated using a Kalman filter. This is essential to ensure that noise from the measurement and possible manoeuvres of the targets are taken into account, filtering to accommodate varying degrees of uncertainty in the measurement process. Where new plots cannot be associated with existing tracks they become candidates for new tracks that can be promoted, after a period of confidence build-up.
SPx Tracker-3D is compatible with Windows 10 (or later) and Linux, has a browser-based interface for initial configuration and reads terrain data at startup to define the 3D space surrounding the sensor, assessing whether targets are likely to be lost because of the terrain. Operators are able to move the viewpoint in real-time to help inspect targets, enjoying visualisation of plots, tracks, terrain and the associated configuration data. Building on the techniques originally developed to create Cambridge Pixel’s SPx Server, that has been deployed widely around the world in situations varying from the protection of offshore wind farms, coastal surveillance, border security, surveillance of firing ranges and many air defence and naval projects where conventional 2D radars are in use, the SPx Tracker-3D is exclusively designed to operate with 3D data.
Commenting on the release, David Johnson, Cambridge Pixel’s Managing Director said: “This product expands our range of target tracking solutions to support the latest generation of advanced 3D and electronically-scanned radars.”
Richard Warren, Technical Director at Cambridge Pixel, said: “Airborne targets of interest are getting smaller and more agile, so using advanced tracking software is key to operational superiority in air defence. This new 3D tracker takes in plot detections with variable update rates, allowing for a greater granularity of information on key targets such as position, size, height and other statistics derived from the radar data, enhancing one’s air defence capabilities. Our software is highly flexible and can work with a wide range of commercial and military radars to assist our customers in providing effective security, and to combat an increase in terrorism, smuggling, piracy and insurgency.”
Cambridge Pixel’s world-leading SPx suite of software and applications provide highly flexible modules of expertise, that are either ready-to-run or configurable to a specific setting or project. Cambridge Pixel’s engineering team has decades of experience of developing complex radar processing and display systems for airborne radar applications, air traffic control, security as well as naval and vessel traffic.”
28 Feb 22. Killing drones with Thor’s hammer: Air Force eyes counter-UAS ‘Mjölnir’ weapon. In Norse mythology, the thunder god Thor used his legendary hammer Mjölnir to slay giants. In the Avengers films, it was wielded by superheroes to battle the evil Thanos.
But the Air Force is now working on its own Mjölnir, one it hopes will prove to be a revolutionary drone killer.
The Air Force Research Laboratory said Friday it has awarded a $26m contract to Leidos to build a prototype system by that name that will zap small unmanned aerial systems with high-power microwaves and disable them.
In its release, AFRL said Mjölnir will be built on technology demonstrated in recent years by its Tactical High-Power Operational Responder, or THOR, program.
“Because THOR was so successful, we wanted to keep the new system’s name in the family,” said Adrian Lucero, THOR program manager from AFRL’s directed energy directorate at Kirtland Air Force Base in New Mexico.
Work on the project will begin at Leidos’ Albuquerque facilities this spring, and AFRL wants to have a prototype delivered in 2023.
As small drones become cheaper, more effective and available to even everyday consumers, the potential threat they could pose to military bases has increased. They can be used not only to snoop or spy on military installations, but also to attack them if loaded with explosives.
U.S. Central Command head Marine Gen. Kenneth McKenzie a year ago called the spread of small, cheap, off-the-shelf drones the “most concerning tactical development” since the improvised explosive device emerged during the Iraq war.
“I think what we’re seeing is the emergence of a new component of warfare,” McKenzie said at the time.
The Defense Department has become so concerned it created a Joint Counter-Small Unmanned Aircraft Office, led by the Army, to figure out how to thwart the threat of small drones.
The Army is also planning to spend more than $50m this year to develop technological methods to take out small drones, including systems like THOR.
THOR uses radio waves in intense bursts to disable small drones and is capable of taking out multiple targets at once. After a successful demonstration at Kirtland last year, the Army said it plans to field-test THOR, possibly as early as 2024, as a way to protect its bases from small drones.
Mjölnir will use THOR’s technology, with improvements AFRL said will make it more capable and reliable.
Lucero said AFRL is transitioning its technology to Leidos so it can build multiple systems in the future.
“Mjölnir will focus on creating a detailed blueprint for all future [counter-unmanned aerial system high-power microwave] systems with enhanced range and technology for detecting and tracking” drones, Lucero said.
AFRL spent $15m to develop THOR with Verus Research, an engineering firm based in Albuquerque, BAE Systems and Leidos.
The military has also tried to shoot small drones down with bullets or use nets to ensnare them. But an AFRL program manager told the Albuquerque Journal last year THOR’s radio bursts have a wider engagement range, are silent, and are instantaneous than physical methods used to bring drones down. (Source: Defense News Early Bird/Defense News)
24 Feb 22. “24% of rogue 2021 rogue drone incidents took place at airports” – D-Fend. Dangerous drone threats grew exponentially in all major public sectors throughout 2021, according to data compiled by C-UAS company D-Fend Solutions.
In 2021 rogue drone incidents were detected at their highest in Q4, said the company. “In fact, 40 drone incidents were tracked in the month of November alone. Another notable statistic is that the company found that 290 drone incidents took place across 57 countries last year, with 59% of the incidents in North America. This was broken down into global sectors that showed that 24% of those total instances occurred at airports and 23% in law enforcement agencies and first responders.”
According to the company’s incident track report (https://www.d-fendsolutions.com/drone-incident-tracker/) there have been 70 rogue drone incidents so far this year, including Swedish police investigating a drone allegedly surveilling the Oskarshamn nuclear power plant; the use by rebels in Myanmar of DJI Phantoms to attack six government buildings and Civil Guard members in Spain confiscating 600 grams of hashish and three cellphones after intercepting a drone on its second mission to drop contraband at Mendizábal Prison. (Source: www.unmannedairspace.info)
24 Feb 22. Netherlands defence ministry issues tender for static and mobile counter drone equipment.
The Dutch Ministry of Defence has issued a tender for the supply and maintenance of Counter Unmanned Aircraft Systems (C-UAS) with the following capabilities:
- Means for Detection
- Means for Classification
- Means for Identification
- Means for Neutralization
- Command and control
The procurement is also modular in nature to accommodate expansion and module replacements.
The scope of delivery includes:
- Fixed scope of delivery: 3 x movable C-UAS and 2 x static C-UAS
- Optional systems: 3 x movable C-UAS and 6 x static C-UAS
The Maintenance Framework Agreement will have a period of performance of 10 (ten) years and will be concluded simultaneously with the Delivery Agreement on the understanding that both the Delivery and the Framework Agreement will be concluded with the same Tenderer.
This procurement concerns the delivery and maintenance of Counter Unmanned Aircraft Systems (acronym: C-UAS)
The Netherland Armed Forces are looking for a modular capacity that include the following means and functions:
- Means for Detection
- Means for Classification
- Means for Identification
- Means for Neutralization
- Command and control
The term modular is used to describe that the system is expandable with new modules or that old modules easily can be replaced. This modular approach is facilitated by a robust and flexible command & control (C2), that enables communication between the system and its subsystems, sensors and effectors and that supports the operator in performing his/her tasks.
Closing date: 14.3.2022 – 18:00
Tender reference: 2022/S 032-083272
Directive: 2009/81/EC For more information visit: www.ted.europa.eu
(Source: www.unmannedairspace.info)
23 Feb 22. Skylock unveils Sky-Inteceptor count drone device at Abu Dhabi defence show. Israeli counter drone company Skylock has launched a new drone disabling device at UMEX SIMTEX exhibition in Abu Dhabi. Sky-Inteceptor is based on five patent pending technologies that enable detection, tracking and kinetic mitigation of small Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) using a high persistence countermeasure cloud, according to the manufacturer. Sky-Interceptor is designed to improve the ability to defeat small, incoming UAV threats, under all conditions, by disabling their propulsion system. Skylock says the system is safe to operate in urban environments, enables greater range and has no collateral damage. It is effective against evasive manoeuvres and swarms, provides simplified logistics, and is lower cost than conventional kinetic or electronic warfare approaches. According to Defense Update, the countermeasure weighs 880 grams and measures 895 mm in length. Two versions are offered, a basic version with 40mm diameter and a range of 1,100 m’ and an extended range rocket with a small booster with a 50 mm diameter, extending to 3 km. The countermeasure can be launched from the ground or the air, by helicopters or other drones, and uses a small solid rocket to reach its target. For more information visit: www.skylock1.com; www.defense-update.com (Source: www.unmannedairspace.info)
23 Feb 22. CERBAIR and KEAS win counter-UAS prison protection contract. A few weeks after the announcement of their strategic partnership at the MilipolParis Show, French RF drone detector company CERBAIR and French electromagnetic interference specialist KEAS have won a contract for “the acquisition and maintenance of a solution for the detection, characterization and neutralization of drones (DCND) in penitentiary establishments located in metropolitan France metropolitan and overseas”.
According to a company press statement: “This contract should allow CERBAIR and KEAS to equip several dozen French prisons over an initial period of twice a year (renewable twice without exceeding four years) in addition to the fifteen prisons previously provided. This contract has two important aspects in the eyes of the Directorate of the Prison Administration: a technological challenge (installing a device without interference with the existing system) and a security issue. Since 2018 the drone threat has been very seriously taken into account on all settlements, whether they are high-security quarters, central prisons or remand prisons,” says Antoine Pau, project manager for defence against drones at the Ministry of Justice.
Deliveries of narcotics, illicit equipment (SIM cards, weapons and so on) via drone are a growing problem. Last November, CERBAIR/KEAS’ anti-drone solution installed during a previous contract made it possible to thwart the overflight of a metropolitan prison, with the drone forced to make a U-turn.
“While in the overseas territories, during December 2021, a dozen overflight attempts were detected over the main prison of the island,” says the press statement. “The drone was unable to reach the walls of the compound…. Actively collaborating with the SGDSN and the IGN, the prison administration also welcomes the fact that it is no longer possible to fly over a prison pretending not to know it. As proof, information notices are now part of any new drone purchased commercially since January 1, 2022,” says the statement.
The agreement between KEAS – which since 2005 has delivered specialist services in mobile communications jamming in prisons – and CERBAIR – with its ULTimate Recognition Algorithm (ULTRA) have given the companies a strong market position, says the statement. (Source: www.unmannedairspace.info)
24 Feb 22. Diehl Defense adds Hensoldt passive radar capability to enhance ground-based air defence capability. Diehl Defense is adding passive radar capabilities from Hensodlt to its ground-based air defense (GBAD) IRIS-T SLM unit to increase the surveillance capability of the overall system. The IRIS-T SLM is currently equipped with Hensoldt’s multifunction radar TRML-4D, and adding Hensoldt’s Twinvis passive radar will provide operators of the IRIS-T SLM system with additional functions, such as emission-free early detection of flying objects and the transmission of aerial photographs to the operators without putting the main sensor into operation, says the press release. Diehl Defense and Hensoldt are currently testing integration of the passive radar components at the Test and Integration Center in Röthenbach, Germany. The integration of passive radar functions is designed to optimize the situation assessment of the IRIS-T SLM fire unit, increasing the survivability of the GBAD system by identifying, verifying and reducing the impact of enemy countermeasures and strengthening the assertiveness of Diehl Defense’s ground-based air defense system against threats, both imminent and at a later time. It is also designed to provide operators with a mobile and emission-free radar solution for airspace surveillance, complementary to the TRML-4D active radar. This additional function can provide omnidirectional 3D tracking of more than 180 objects up to a radius of 250 km (sensor target). For more information visit: www.diehl.com (Source: www.unmannedairspace.info)
24 Feb 22. UAVOS and MP3 exhibit joint counter drone capability at UMEX 2022 exhibition in Abu Dhabi. Counter drone company UAVOS exhibited its anti-drone laser system at the UMEX Unmanned Systems Exhibition and Conference taking place in Abu Dhabi between 21-23 February 2022. UAVOS presented its anti-drone technology together with MP3 International, a Grade One Group company.
The UAVOS Counter Unmanned Aircraft System (CUAS) offers precise drone detection and tracking performance with an Electro-Optic system. Besides its detection and tracking capability, the solution allows laser neutralisation of drones. The anti-drone technology is designed to destroy UAVs at a distance up to 500 m, while the optical devices can be disabled at a distance of up to 3 km. The system has already proven itself by burning ground objects at distances up to 1 km. The system is designed to offer advanced protection for manoeuvring forces, sensitive facilities, border protection, as well as increasingly vulnerable civilian targets like airports and other public facilities. For more information visit: www.gradeonegroup.com (Source: www.unmannedairspace.info)
28 Feb 22. Ukraine “asks NATO countries for urgent supplies of counter-UAS equipment.” Counter-UAS equipment is at the top of the list of military requirements reportedly sent by Ukraine’s Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov to the Belgian counterpart Ludivine Dedonder in a letter of February 23, just hours before the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
The list, published in the Belgian edition of Business AM and shared on Linkedin by Tim De Zitter, features requirements for anti-drone guns and jammers along with counter electronics directed energy weapons.
According to the news report the list is generic and has been sent to all NATO countries. For more information https://businessam.be/lijst-gelekt-met-materiaal-om-russen-te-stoppen-dat-vivaldi-weigerde-te-leveren/
(Source: www.unmannedairspace.info)
25 Feb 22. BEL to retro-modify commander sight of Indian Army’s T-90 tanks. The company will provide commander thermal imager-cum-day sights for the battle tanks. Indian state-owned company Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) has been awarded a contract to retro-modify the commander sight of the Indian Army’s T-90 battle tanks. The company has signed a contract, worth $142.57m (Rs10.75bn), with the Indian Ministry of Defence’s (MoD) Acquisition Wing. The contract will contribute towards the government’s ‘Make in India’ initiative in the defence sector. Under the contract, the company will perform the retro-modification of 957 T-90 tanks. It will provide 957 commander thermal imager-cum-day sights for the tanks. The tank’s commander sight is currently equipped with an image converter (IC) tube-based sight. This is used for viewing in very low visibility conditions, mainly during night-time. The Indian Army is seeking a replacement for the IC based sight. As per the needs of the service, BEL teamed up with the Defence Research and Development Organisation, and built an advanced sight based on mid-wave thermal image (MWIR). The new indigenously developed sight makes use of a thermal imager, and a laser ranger finder (LRF). The operator can detect targets at distances of up to 8km using a thermal imager during the day and night, and the LRF can accurately capture the target up to a range of 5km. This capability allows the tank’s commander to detect, engage, and destroy targets with precision. According to information provided by the MoD, the sight was put through extensive evaluations, and successfully completed testing under field conditions. In 2018, BEL and L&T signed an agreement to develop products and solutions for the Indian Armed Forces. (Source: army-technology.com)
27 Feb 22. Teledyne FLIR Collaboration and First Marquee Customer. DroneShield Limited (ASX:DRO) (“DroneShield” or the “Company”), a global leader in artificial intelligence solutions for advanced unmanned threats, and Teledyne FLIR, a world leader in intelligent sensing solutions for defense and industrial applications, part of Teledyne Technologies Incorporated, have announced a collaboration to offer a joint sensing and mitigation solution for unmanned aerial threats.
As part of the collaboration, Teledyne FLIR is extending its counter-UAS thermal imaging sensing technology to the DroneShield platform, which has developed and applied its powerful AI and machine learning software algorithms via radiofrequency (RF) sensing and computer vision technologies. The addition of Teledyne FLIR thermal camera hardware and expertise will enable military customers to improve detection, including identifying and tracking numerous unmanned threats in the thermal and RF spectrums at considerable range, providing a unique and ground-breaking capability offered within a single system.
The combined sensor offering has secured an initial marquee customer, a major Western military agency, which will be deploying the combined system at one of the best-known military testing ranges in the world.
Oleg Vornik, DroneShield CEO, commented, “With the ability to detect, identify, and track threats in the thermal and RF spectrums via powerful artificial intelligence algorithms, DroneShield and Teledyne FLIR offer a unique and differentiated capability, poised to augment a substantial number of multi-sensor C-UAS systems globally. We are thrilled to enter this collaboration. We are already working together on multiple tier-one global opportunities, including having jointly secured the initial marquee DoD customer for our combined offering, which incorporates our radiofrequency sensors and DroneSentry-C2 command-and-control system. The joint system’s capability, plus the combination of Teledyne FLIR and DroneShield channels to market, strongly positions the combined system for a meaningful-scale rollout with Five Eyes partners and approved allies globally.”
“The unmatched Teledyne FLIR thermal imaging hardware and analytics for counter UAS, along with DroneShield’s RF sensors and unique AI software algorithms, provide a differentiated and substantial value-add to allied defence departments,” said Kai Moncino, Director of Global Business Development – Solutions, Teledyne FLIR. “Teledyne FLIR is thrilled to work closely with DroneShield to secure our first marquee proof-of-concept DoD customer at the iconic deployment location, and we look forward to expanding on our collaboration with DroneShield globally.”
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Blighter Surveillance Systems is a world-leading designer and manufacturer of best-in-class electronic-scanning ground-based radars, surveillance solutions and Counter-UAS systems. Blighter’s solid-state micro-Doppler products are deployed in more than 35 countries across the globe, delivering consistent all-weather security protection and wide area surveillance along borders, coastlines, at military bases and across critical infrastructure such as airports, oil and gas facilities and palaces. Blighter radars are also used to protect manoeuvre force missions when deployed on military land vehicles and trailers, and its world-beating multi-mode radar represents a great leap in threat detection technology and affordability for use in a variety of scenarios.
The Blighter range of radar products are used for detecting a variety of threats, from individuals on foot to land vehicles, boats, drones and low-flying aircraft at ranges of up to 32 km. Blighter Surveillance Systems employs 40 people and is located near Cambridge, UK, where it designs, produces and markets its range of unique patented solid-state radars. Blighter prides itself on being an engineer-led business committed to providing cost-effective and flexible solutions across the defence, critical infrastructure and national security markets.
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