British armed forces have radio wave cannon developed against drones
The British Ministry of Defense wants to fight drones electronically in future with a beam weapon. The system is very cheap per shot.
The RFDEW system is designed to combat drones electronically.
(Image: DE&S)
The United Kingdom intends to strengthen its drone defense with a radio wave cannon. This was announced by the British Ministry of Defense in mid-May. The weapon system, known as the "Radio Frequency Directed Energy Weapon" (RFDEW), should be able to disable the electronics of enemy drones at a distance of up to one kilometer. The weapon system should also be able to combat several drones at the same time.
The RFDEW is a radio frequency-based energy weapon, writes the Ministry of Defense in a press release. It is designed to combat a range of different threats from armed enemy drone systems on land, at sea and in the air. This also includes small armed drones, such as those currently being used in the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine. The system would then be able to detect, track and engage targets at a distance of up to one kilometer. However, work is underway to further increase the range. As the RFDEW is largely automated, only one soldier is required to operate it.
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The underlying mechanism of action is comparatively simple: radio waves disrupt or damage the critical electronic components. Drones, whether on land, at sea or in the air, are then incapacitated or fall from the sky.
The price per shot is sensationally low. Around ten British pence per shot would be due. Compared to missile-based air defense systems for combating drones, this is extremely inexpensive.
Mobile weapon system
The RFDEW system can be mounted on various military vehicles. A mobile energy source is used. It then fires the radio wave cannon, which generates a beam so that shots can be fired in rapid succession at individual targets. The beam can also be extended to engage multiple targets simultaneously.
The RFDEW system is being developed by the team from the Defense Science and Technology Laboratory (DSTL) and Defence Equipment & Support (DE&S). Both are working closely with British industry on the Hersa project. According to the British Ministry of Defense, the plan is to carry out the first field tests with the weapon system in summer 2024.
(olb)
