In a recent demonstration, British soldiers successfully brought down multiple drone swarms using a UK-developed radio wave weapon, marking the largest exercise of its kind ever conducted by the British Army.
The trial, conducted at a weapons range in West Wales, showcased the capabilities of a Radiofrequency Directed Energy Weapon (RF DEW) developed by Thales UK and delivered by Team Hersa – a partnership between Defence Equipment & Support and the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory.
The high-frequency weapon neutralizes drones by disrupting or damaging their electronic components, causing near-instant crashes or malfunctions. During the exercise, over 100 drones were tracked and defeated, including two separate swarms taken down in a single engagement. Sgt Mayers of 106 Regiment Royal Artillery became the first British soldier to use RF DEW in such a capacity.
“RF DEW is an exciting concept,” said Sgt Mayers. “We found the demonstrator quick to learn and easy to use. With improvements on range and power, this would be a great asset to Layered Air Defence.”
The government has already invested over £40 million into RF DEW research and development with Thales. Nigel MacVean, Managing Director of Thales Integrated Airspace-protection Systems, commented:
“Thales continues to be at the forefront of this pioneering technology, and we are proud to continue the research and development in this sector alongside our partners in Government.”
With a cost of around just 10 pence per “shot,” RF DEW presents a highly cost-effective alternative to traditional air defence systems. It can engage targets up to 1km away and is particularly effective against drones that evade conventional jamming techniques.
The trial’s success comes as drone warfare surges in global conflicts – including Ukraine, where UK Defence Intelligence estimates over 18,000 drone attacks were mounted last year alone.
Defence Minister Maria Eagle praised the achievement as a triumph of British innovation:
“This significant experiment exemplifies the strength of British innovation – driven by our home-grown industry, technology firms and scientific talent.”
The initiative supports the UK Government’s broader Defence Industrial Strategy and Plan for Change, which includes allocating at least 10 percent of the MOD’s equipment procurement budget to novel technologies by 2025-26 and increasing defence spending to 2.5 percent of GDP by April 2027.
