Latest news with #TekeverAR3
Axios
14-05-2025
- Axios
U.K. rolls out jammer drones to shield F-35 and Typhoon fighters
The U.K. launched StormShroud, drone wingmen designed to blind radars and draw fire away from far pricier, manned aircraft like the F-35 and Typhoon. Why it matters: Human-machine innovation bounds ahead outside the U.S. The Royal Air Force will for the first time "benefit from high-end electronic warfare without needing crew to man it," the defense ministry and prime minister's office said in a joint statement. State of play: StormShroud combines the Tekever AR3 unmanned aerial vehicle with the Leonardo U.K. BriteStorm electronic warfare payload. The AR3 has more than 10,000 hours of flight time in Ukraine. Research and development for the jammer began in 2017. Leonardo said it can also be mounted to missiles. Together, it's the first in a line of autonomous collaborative platforms (ACP) the military is anticipating. Air Chief Marshal Sir Rich Knighton, chief of the Air Staff, in a statement described StormShroud's arrival as a "seminal moment."
The National
03-05-2025
- Business
- The National
UK launches radar-jamming drone to help 'protect European security'
A radar-jamming drone that will fly ahead of crewed fighters on missions to take out enemy air defences has been launched by Britain's Royal Air Force. Drawing on lessons learnt from the Ukraine war, StormShroud has been introduced at the front lines 'an unprecedented pace' to meet the growing threat from Russia, the UK's Ministry of Defence said. The weapon is based on the Tekever AR3 and AR5 drones, which have already been used in combat in Ukraine, and has been fitted with a BriteStorm signal jammer that scrambles enemy radar at long ranges. In what the RAF described as 'revolutionary new tactics', the unmanned drones will be used to support fighters such as the Typhoon and F-35 Lightning by jamming enemy radar, allowing the combat aircraft to attack targets without being seen. 'This means, for the first time, the RAF will benefit from high-end electronic warfare without needing crew to man it, freeing them up for other vital frontline missions,' the RAF said. StormShroud was a 'ground-breaking, first-of-its-kind drone' that will make the RAF's combat aircraft 'more survivable and more lethal', it added. It is the first of a family of next-generation drones – known as Autonomous Collaborative Platforms (ACPs) – being delivered to the RAF. Using 'operational feedback in Ukraine', where battlefield innovations have increased significantly, the BriteStorm electronic warfare technology, made by Leonardo UK, has been integrated on to the Tekever drones. 'This is a seminal moment for the RAF to maintain our advantage in air combat and national security,' said Air Chief Marshal Sir Rich Knighton, Chief of the Air Staff. ACP drones 'will revolutionise how we conduct a range of missions', from intelligence gathering to strike and logistical support, he added. Tekever, a British-Portuguese tech company, now plans to manufacture the drones in the UK, investing a further £400 million ($531.7 million) over the next 5 years. Working with Leonardo, it took six months to develop the new weapon. 'Together with our allies, this government is taking the bold action needed to stand up to [Russian President Vladimir] Putin and ruthlessly protect UK and European security,' said UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who visited the manufacturing site in England on Friday.
