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The UK’s directed energy counter-unmanned weapon could see service in 2026

23rd September 2024 - 17:28 GMT | by Damian Kemp in UTAC Millbrook, UK

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A team led by Thales has been developing RFDEW. (Image: Thales)

The Radio Frequency Directed Energy Weapon (RFDEW), a joint effort by the UK’s Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S) and Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (DSTL), has been designed to detect, track and engage a range of threats across land, air and sea.

The British Army’s counter-UAS RFDEW could be deployed as early as 2026 as the development phase nears its end. RFDEW has been in a three-year experimentation phase and is designed to protect assets by neutralising UAS and other threats.

It beams radio waves to disrupt or damage the critical electronic components of enemy vehicles causing them to stop in their tracks or fall out of the sky. Described as costing only £0.10 (US$0.12) per shot, the RFDEW beam is designed to be a significant cost-effective alternative to traditional missile-based, air defence systems, capable of downing dangerous drone swarms with instant effect.

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