The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) has announced the successful live test of its new radio frequency weapon, a system designed to neutralize drone swarms at an operating cost of just 10 pence per shot—“less than the cost of a pack of mince pies.”
The weapon, known as the Radio Frequency Directed Energy Weapon (RFDEW), was developed under Project Ealing and is heralded as a cheaper, more efficient alternative to traditional missile-based systems.
The RFDEW was developed by a consortium led by Thales UK, with input from key subcontractors, including QinetiQ, Teledyne e2v, and Horiba Mira.
The RFDEW, capable of detecting, tracking, and engaging threats across land, air, and sea, was trialed in a live firing exercise conducted by the Army’s Royal Artillery Trials and Development Unit and 7 Air Defence Group at a range in West Wales.
This trial is the first successful engagement of Uncrewed Aerial Systems (UAS) by the British Armed Forces using this cutting-edge technology.
The British MoD says that the weapon operates by emitting high-frequency waves to disrupt or damage the electronic components within drones, which effectively causes them to fall from the sky or become immobilized.
The system has a range of up to 1,000 meters (1,093 yards), with each shot estimated to cost just 10 pence—around US$0.13—making it a highly cost-effective solution for neutralizing aerial threats.
“While the demonstrator tested won’t go into service, the knowledge, experience, and data gleaned from the experiments it has undergone this year will inform future directed energy requirements for the UK,” stated the Ministry of Defense in a press release.
The weapon’s largely automated design allows a single operator to control the system, which can be mounted onto military vehicles for flexible deployment.
A Defense Equipment and Support (DE&S) team spokesman overseeing the RFDEW project emphasized the weapon’s potential to secure a strategic advantage against emerging threats.
“The DEW team is working closely with UK Armed Forces, Dstl, and industry partners, using engineering, management, and commercial expertise to deliver directed energy weapons into service and secure a crucial advantage against emerging threats,” the Spokesman said.
Gabriele Molinelli, a UK-based Defense expert, pointed out, “The new video from the latest Project EALING Radio Frequency Directed Energy Weapon trials (first with Army personnel) shows one important thing that was not, by any means, a given: the system can be seen working and keeping aim on targets with the truck on the move.”
He added, “The whole system is demountable to be used in defense of static sites. Being a prototype, in some ways it is visibly “rough” still, but pleasantly ambitious in many ways. A clever self-contained configuration.”
UK’s Push To Develop Advanced Drone Defense Technologies
The drones, capable of executing precise, mass attacks, have emerged as a key challenge in modern combat.
This growing concern is particularly relevant in the context of the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine, where drones—often inexpensive and easily sourced—have become a crucial weapon in the conflict.
The UK has focused on developing cutting-edge countermeasures in response to this rising threat. Among these is the Radio Frequency Directed Energy Weapon (RFDEW), which has now been successfully tested.
The UK is also advancing a vehicle-mounted laser weapon that fires shots costing just 10 pence each, with a range of 1,000 meters. The Ministry of Defence confirmed its successful testing on December 11.
These systems are part of a government program that collaborates with private companies like Raytheon and Teledyne e2v.
Additionally, the UK has invested around US$126 million in developing DragonFire, another laser weapon system that targets drones with high-concentrated energy beams at a cost of less than US$13 per shot.
If these technologies are deployed on a large scale, their low per-shot cost could provide a major advantage to the UK. Meanwhile, the US is developing a similar weapon to the UK’s RFDEW, which uses microwaves to disable drones and swarms.
The Tactical High-power Operational Responder (THOR), which looks like a container with a satellite dish, was successfully tested by the US Air Force in April 2023 against a drone swarm. THOR emits high-power microwave bursts to disable small drones and cause them to fall from the sky.
This success comes amid rising concerns over drone sightings in both the US and the UK, including near American military bases in the UK, such as RAF Lakenheath, Mildenhall, and Feltwell. Recently, New York and New Jersey imposed temporary drone flight bans in certain areas.
Over the past few weeks, more than 5,000 drone sightings have been reported along the East Coast. However, the FBI and Department of Homeland Security have stated that no evidence suggests these sightings pose a national security or public safety threat.
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