In a recent article from The Korea Economic Daily, Hyundai Wia, an auto parts and defense unit of Hyundai Motor Group, announced this week that it had begun testing its Air Burst Munition (ABM) at a firing range in North Chungcheong Province in South Korea.

The company’s “anti-drone” system (ADS) includes a non-kinetic mitigation capability capable of jamming or disrupting the command and control (C2) signals between the ground control station and the drone. The main objective of the test, however, centered around evaluating the system’s capability to intercept drones through hard kill or kinetic measures. Leveraging advanced optical technology, the test demonstrated the system’s ability to detect, identify, and track drones from considerable distances, ultimately culminating in successfully mitigating the drone with an ABM.

The Hyundai ADS uses a defense-in-depth approach with multiple detection and mitigation systems, including radar for long-range detection and cameras for accurate drone identification and tracking. Its multiple-option mitigation system design allows end-users to disrupt multiple categories of drones that present a threat.  The kinetic mitigation option involves utilizing a remote-controlled weapon station (RCWS) with ABMs.

In an effort to reduce the risk to critical infrastructure and civilians, Hyundai Wia has integrated strings of streamers into the ADS. These are fitted with multiple vinyl ribbons and tangle in the drone’s rotors upon explosion, resulting in a controlled descent and minimized collateral damage. The company is also planning to incorporate Steel Ball, enabling efficient countermeasures against fixed-wing drones.

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Post Image Credit: The Korea Economic Daily