China shows laser "anti-drones" — how to shoot down UAVs with a beam of light

OW5-A50 laser system

China has once again reminded the world that it is not lagging behind in the technology race — Norinco (aka China North Industries) conducted live firing of its new OW5-A50 laser system at a training ground in Inner Mongolia. And they weren't firing guns, but a beam of light.

The OW5-A50 system is part of the "anti—drone" solutions that are currently trending in all armies of the world. Its mission is to detect, escort, and destroy drones, including small and cheap ones that can be dangerous in large numbers. The laser heats the target to a critical temperature, and the drone simply falls as if de—energized.

The tests were conducted as part of a specialized event dedicated to unmanned technologies and protection against them, and, importantly, with an export orientation. That is, Norinco clearly wants to sell the OW5-A50 to other countries, especially those who are looking for an inexpensive and effective way to combat drones.

Why is this interesting? Because lasers are accurate, fast, and cheap compared to rockets. One shot and you're done, the main thing is to have a reserve of energy. And although such systems will not completely replace traditional weapons yet, they are already becoming a serious element of the air defense of the future.

So China isn't just watching trends — it's actively playing into them. And OW5-A50 is another signal that "lightsabers" are no longer from fiction, but from real arsenals.

The US Army invests $43 million in Leonidas microwave weapons to combat drones

 Leonidas HPM

The US army is betting on microwave weapons — and investing $43 million in them. Epirus has received a contract from the U.S. Army's Office of Rapid Capabilities and Critical Technologies (RCCTO) to supply two new second-generation Leonidas HPM systems that will be used to combat next-generation drones, especially so-called kamikaze drones and swarms of UAVs.

The Leonidas HPM (High-Power Microwave) system is a kind of super—powerful microwave that can destroy dozens of drones simultaneously by simply "burning out" their electronics with a powerful electromagnetic pulse. This is especially important now, when massive attacks using unmanned kamikaze aircraft are increasingly being used.

The head of Epirus said that the latest tests of the Gen II system were successful, and now there is a chance that the program will be officially launched and transferred from the experimental stage to combat readiness.

What is included in the contract?  

- Delivery of two new Leonidas systems of the second generation  

- Auxiliary equipment and spare parts  

- The possibility of further testing and modernization  

The US Army wants to test how effectively Leonidas copes with modern threats, especially those swarms of drones that can attack dozens of targets simultaneously. If everything goes well, such complexes may become part of a standard air defense system in the future.

Now, more and more countries and non—state groups are using cheap and effective drones for attacks, from single strikes to massive attacks. Traditional air defense systems do not always cope with this economically — in other words, it is unprofitable to shoot down a drone for $ 1,000 with a missile for $ 1 million.  

Leonidas is just the solution to this problem: one salvo — and immediately a dozen drones "die" from an overload of electronics. This is both cheaper and more effective, especially in the face of massive attacks.

The United States continues to actively invest in promising anti—drone technologies, and the Leonidas microwave weapon from Epirus is one of the most interesting candidates for the role of a new standard in air defense. If the tests show good results, then such systems may appear at the forefront in the coming years.

The German military is testing anti-drone mesh installations on armored vehicles to protect against small UAVs

The German Armed Forces are testing anti-drone mesh installations mounted on armored vehicles in order to assess the effectiveness of passive protection against the growing threat from small unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).

The photographs taken at the Folkach facility show armored vehicles of the 4th Logistics Regiment equipped with various types of improvised drone protection. Among them, the Marder infantry fighting vehicle stands out, around which grids of various sizes are installed, arranged in a circle to maximize vulnerable areas.

The tests are aimed at determining to what extent such grids are capable of preventing the penetration and impact of small drones, which are increasingly being used for reconnaissance and attacks in modern conflicts. Passive protection using nets can be an effective and relatively inexpensive way to increase the survivability of armored vehicles on the battlefield.

This approach reflects the trend in the military sphere towards the development of integrated anti-drone systems combining active and passive protection methods.

Poland is building the Eastern Shield fortifications with anti-drone systems on the border with Russia

As part of the national defense project "Eastern Shield", Poland is building a complex of fortifications on the border with Russia and Belarus, equipped with modern systems to counter FPV drones. This was stated by the Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Polish Armed Forces, Lieutenant General Stanislav Chosnek.

The Eastern Shield is a large—scale program that includes not only engineering structures such as concrete barriers, anti-tank ditches and minefields, but also modern intelligence, warning, defense, mobility and counter-mobility components. Special attention is being paid to the installation of airspace monitoring systems and electronic warfare equipment that will help identify and neutralize threats from drones.

Fortifications are being built at several dozen points along more than 600 kilometers of the border with Russia and Belarus. An important element of the project is the creation of operational bases and logistics hubs, which will allow for the rapid transfer of forces and ensure their uninterrupted supply.

In addition, the Barbara reconnaissance system, which includes balloons, satellite components, and the latest unmanned and anti-drone technologies, is planned to be introduced as part of the Eastern Shield. These tools will allow effective control of the airspace and timely response to potential attacks.

General Csosnek stressed that the integrated approach of the project provides not only physical protection, but also integrated management of information and combat resources, which significantly increases the defense capability of the eastern flank of NATO.

The United States is strengthening its counteraction to drones: aircraft carriers are receiving a new generation of secret weapons

 

Coyote interceptor from Raytheon

With the threat from unmanned aerial vehicles on the rise, especially in the form of attacking drone swarms, the U.S. Navy is implementing a new air defense system to protect its carrier strike groups. New secret Coyote interceptors from Raytheon and Roadrunner-M from Anduril, designed to combat small and medium-sized UAVs, are being adopted.

These interceptor missiles are equipped with turbojet engines, which allows them not only to maneuver quickly, but also to hover in the air, waiting for targets in the carrier group's area of responsibility. This ability makes them effective in conditions of intense saturation of the airspace with a variety of targets.

A special feature of the new systems is **the possibility of reuse**: after completing a combat mission, some of the interceptors can return to the ship, ** land, refuel and be launched again**, which significantly increases the economic and tactical effectiveness of their use.

According to sources, both types of interceptors have already been tested in real combat conditions, participating in operations with the US Army and the Special Operations Command. The use of these technologies could become an important element of the Pentagon's strategy in dealing with drones in future conflicts.

France accelerates modernization of air defense and anti-drone systems by investing 5 billion euros

 

As air threats evolve rapidly and high-intensity conflicts re-emerge in Europe, France is accelerating the modernization of its air defense and anti-drone capabilities.The Law on Military Programming for 2024-2030 gives priority to ground-to-air defense, allocating a total investment of 5 billion euros for this period. This program is aimed at modernizing air defense and missile defense systems, updating low-altitude defense capabilities, and strengthening anti-drone measures. As part of this program, the French Directorate General of Armaments (DGA) has signed contracts worth 600 million euros with KNDS, MBDA and Thales, which will benefit all three branches of the French armed forces.