Across the Channel, the British Army has unveiled a new specialized defense system capable of neutralizing an entire swarm of drones in the blink of an eye thanks to a radio wave turret. An impressive proof of concept that reflects the growing popularity of these small flying machines in the military industry.
In recent years, and especially since the start of the war in Ukraine, militaries around the world have begun to realize the immense potential of drones. These small, versatile machines are extremely effective when it comes to launching surgical strikes against strategic targets – and not just on conventional battlefields.
One can also imagine many scenarios where terrorists could use them to attack public infrastructure or civilians. This is one of the reasons why Paris City Hall invested in specialized anti-drone devices, such as jammer guns, to protect the population during the Olympic Games.
But as these flying machines become cheaper and more efficient, a new risk is beginning to emerge. Now, disabling a single quadcopter is no longer enough: it is also necessary to be able to react in the event of a swarm of drones carrying out a coordinated attack. This is anything but straightforward, as conventional defense systems can easily be overwhelmed by such squadrons. Many governments are therefore developing a new generation of equipment to deal with this eventuality.
A new type of directed energy weapon
This is where the British Army's brand new RapidDestroyer comes in. From the outside, this device looks like a perfectly normal antenna. It's actually a unique weapon: a high-frequency radio wave turret designed to fry critical drone components from a distance. It therefore falls into the category of directed energy weapons (or EAD).
During a test organized in Wales and relayed by TheNextWeb, this device showed that it was capable of "tracking, engaging and neutralizing" more than one hundred drones in a short time. In a single blast, it can apparently neutralize several devices simultaneously from a distance of one kilometer, all for a paltry sum (around 10 cents per shot).
This new technology further strengthens the United Kingdom's anti-drone arsenal, which is already particularly well-stocked in this area. We recall, for example, the DragonFire, the famous military laser presented by the British army in January 2024.
DragonFire: the British military laser takes down its first target
The latter is even more devastating on an individual scale, and can bring down much larger aircraft. But remains less effective against a coordinated attack carried out by a swarm of drones. Together, the two systems could therefore represent a line of defense that is virtually impenetrable by small aircraft.
Europe is covering its rear
And this is only the beginning. In March 2025, in a context of growing tensions with the United States, European heads of state approved a vast investment plan called ReArm Europe.
As its name suggests, the objective is to strengthen the military and strategic autonomy of the Old Continent by investing €800 billion in the development of new defense capabilities. It's therefore a safe bet that new technologies of this type will emerge en masse in the coming years.
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