18-04-2025
What is the UK's ‘microwave weapon' that counters drone attacks and how does it work?
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The United Kingdom successfully tested a new type of weapon, which uses radio frequency waves to take
down drone swarms
, the UK's Ministry of Defence said.
Called RapidDestroyer, the device uses the high-power frequency 'to disrupt or damage critical electronic components inside drones' at a distance, which causes them to crash or malfunction,'
according to a government statement published on Thursday.
The weapon managed to take down over 100 drones during several different tests and was shown to work at ranges of up to 1km, and cannot be jammed using electronic warfare.
Drone attacks are increasingly used in modern warfare, with
Ukraine
defending against attacks from more than 18,000 drones last year, according to the UK Defence Intelligence.
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'We found the demonstrator quick to learn and easy to use. With improvements on range and power, which could come with further development, this would be a great asset to Layered Air Defence,' Sergeant Mayers, who tested the weapon, said in a statement.
This type of defence implies using several different types of defence systems, each designed to stop threats at different distances and heights, and that could defend against a wide spectrum of threats.
One example of this strategy is the Iron Dome deployed by Israel.
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'We continue to strengthen our defence sector, adding more cutting-edge capabilities to keep the UK secure at home and strong abroad, while making defence an engine for growth across our towns and cities,' Maria Eagle, the UK Minister for Defence Procurement and Industry, said in a statement.
RapidDestroyer belongs to a larger group of directed energy weapons, which also includes laser-based systems.
It was developed by a consortium led by the French company Thales and is estimated to cost €0.12 per shot fired. The UK said that this technology could provide a cost-effective addition to traditional missile-based air defence systems.
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It comes as the UK is increasing its defence spending on new technologies, following US President Donald Trump telling European leaders earlier this year they needed to step up military support for Ukraine in preparation for a peace deal with Russia.
The UK will spend 2.5 per cent of its gross domestic product (GDP) on defence by 2027, which is the country's biggest increase in defence spending since the end of the Cold War.
