UK successfully tests radio wave weapon to neutralize drone swarms

The British Army successfully tested a new weapon that uses radio waves to take down drone swarms

The Radio Frequency Directed Energy Weapon, or RF-DEW, uses high-frequency energy to directly disrupt the electronic components inside drones, causing them to malfunction and

crash. Unlike traditional jamming systems which just interfere with the signal to the drone

RF-DEW physically disables them. The Ministry of Defense says each shot from the unit

dubbed the Rapid Destroyer, costs just 13 cents, positioning it as a low-cost alternative to missile defense systems

and could make it a competitor to the U.S.-based Leonidas system from Epirus

a system we've talked about before at Straight Arrow News, so check out our archives for more on that

Back to Rapid Destroyer. During testing in Wales British forces used the device to take down more than 100 drones in various formations The system demonstrated its ability to neutralize multiple targets almost instantaneously Important to note here the drones used in the test included military models

and commercial ones, showcasing the system's versatility. Rapid Destroyer was developed by

a UK-led team headed by Thales, a French defense contractor. The project received over 40 million

pounds in government funding as part of the UK's push for innovative defense technologies

As drone warfare becomes more prevalent, especially in conflicts like the war in Ukraine

the UK's MOD says Rapid Destroyer offers a scalable, cost-effective solution to defending military sites, airports, and other sensitive locations

Rapid Destroyer certainly is not the first energy-based weapon to target drones

but its use of radio frequencies and ability to neutralize entire swarms does represent a significant advancement over some other solutions

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