During an exercise in West Wales, the British Army successfully shot down a swarm of drones using an experimental radio-based weapon called Radio Frequency Directed Energy Weapon (RFDEW), marking a technological milestone in anti-drone defense.
The system, developed as part of the “Team Hersa” programme with an investment of over £40 million and the collaboration of companies including Thales UK, QinetiQ and Teledyne e2v, has demonstrated the ability to neutralise over 100 UAVs in a single test.
Mounted on a vehicle and operated by a single operator, the RFDEW strikes targets by emitting radio frequency pulses that damage the electronic components of the drones, rendering them harmless.
The cost of each “shot” is negligible, estimated at around 10 pence (€0.12), offering a very low-cost alternative to conventional missiles.
The success of the exercise underscores the growing relevance of directed-energy weapons in modern warfare, especially in response to the increased use of drones in conflicts such as the one in Ukraine.
The UK government sees this technology as a key element for the future of defence and intends to accelerate its development, in line with the planned increase in defence spending to 2,5% of GDP by 2027.
For those wondering whether Russian wire-guided drones might be immune to this type of system, the answer is no.: Even drones connected via cable or fiber can be vulnerable to electromagnetic interference or overload, although to a lesser extent than radio-controlled ones, making RFDEW a concrete threat even for advanced devices.
Photo: UK MoD
