58 · MT 2/2023 Open your eyes to... have been widely discussed during the past couple of years. According to industry, some 435,000 drone systems from a growing number of manufacturers are currently (2022) being sold globally every month and their capabilities are increasing all the time. Industry representatives insisted that in the hands of inexperienced users, they can present significant problems, including potential collisions with aircraft. Pilot sightings of UAVs have more than doubled between January and September 2022, with more than 525 reports in this period in the United States alone, compared to 238 in all of 2014. European authorities claimed in November 2022 that the number of similar incidents have risen to nearly 550 in 13 EU member states. In the hands of criminal gangs or terrorist groups, industry warned, miniature drones can be used for anything from smuggling contraband, cell phones and weapons into prisons. If things keep up, prisons in most EU member states may have to set up nets and other anti-drone defences, including alerting devices like DroneShield. The fact that commercially available drones have flooded global markets led to a plethora of high-tech drone detection and defence systems that are matter of interest for homeland security, police, military and even private security. Many solutions have been designed to help combat this threat, from radio frequency (RF) technologies to physical interceptors. While RF technologies can be used to great effect to disable UAVs, the safety implications of using powerful RF technology, particularly in builtup civilian areas, are serious but rarely talked about. A majority of commercially available drones use three communication types, ISM bands in the under 10 GHz range, WiFi and L-bands used to internally sync waypoints with GPS. ZATHRAS Technologies, Inc., a firm that designs and produces a radar-based drone detection system, explained non-kinetic means of disrupting drone operations. This includes control system hacking attacks, overwhelming a drone’s control frequency, targeting the L-band, or use of passive RF to take over the drone’s controls. According to the company, its Z-200 radar is directed at the low-level atmosphere, 1.2 m and below. Its hardware and patented algorithms enable discrimination between a small drone and a bird. “The waveforms we put out can distinguish natural from mechanical movement, it is a software-defined radar that can utilise a number of frequencies, detecting up to 1,000 items per second, and our algorithms enable a low signal to noise ratio,” the company explained. TNO researchers in the Netherlands found that small drones, especially those using autonomous navigation, could be stealthy, accurate and potentially deadly weapons, and the probability of their use is rapidly increasing. The launching of a flame-throwing RPG (RocketPropelled Frenade)-launching drone by the Russian manufacturer United Instrument Manufacturing Corporation shows how the new generation of small military drones are capable of carrying weapons. The “anti-tank and the public order units of several German states have already opted for the latest generation of this special purpose vehicle. WELP Group, an internationally recognized innovator of all-protected vehicles, is committed to setting new standards for armoured vehicles. At Enforce Tac, the company, which is headquartered in Georgsmarienhütte (Lower Saxony), has on display the Talos, a full-fledged armoured vehicle on offer with the highest protection level – VPAM BRV VR9 Version 3 plus VPAM-ERV Version 3. Leveraging state-of-the-art technology, the Talos is designed to cope with any operational profile of today’s and tomorrow’s most challenging scenarios, threats or other rapidly evolving situations. The SUV features a certified chassis in accordance of OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) standards. It can be tailored to match individual operational requirements. And as an all-protected vehicle, it is taking a cautious approach to breaking new ground, withstanding the spectrum of ballistic threats from short and long weapons, as well as blast fragmentation threats mainly from hand grenades, AP (anti-personnel) mines, and IED (improvised explosive device) side blasts. Additionally, the vehicle’s standard fuel tank can be protected against blast threats, and its batteries can be protected against ballistic threats or upgraded to gel variants. WELP Group is very innovative, using pre-tested, high-quality ballistic materials for armoured vehicles. These can be tailored solutions, depending on what the customer is specifying for coping with the most demanding needs. WELP Group’s great success is shown in more than 6,000 armoured vehicles that have been delivered to date to governmental organizations and agencies NGOs, VIPs and NATO. For special operations, Diederich Engineering Systems – Defence (DES Defence) presented a deeply reworked Polaris MRZR 4x4 equipped with a pintle mounted Dillon M-134 7.62mm gatling gun and a quadruple launcher for MBDA Enforcer anti-tank missiles (recently procured by the German army) slaved to a small fire control radar mounted on a retractable telescopic shaft. Another example was showcased at the Diehl’s booth, equipped with a special launcher for its Libelle loitering anti-tank system. In the 4.5-5t class of weight, the vedette was Defenture’s GRF highly mobile multipurpose vehicle. Draining from the company’s knowhow from rally sport, the vehicle is developed and built for extreme conditions (-32°C up to + 49°C) without making concessions on speed and durability. Furthermore, the optional four-wheel steering enables extreme manoeuvrability, small turning circles (13m or 9m) and speedy action in tight spaces. The weight and dimensions of the GRF are designed to fit in a Chinook helicopter. Special lifting brackets make the GRF also transportable in undersling, hanging from a helicopter. Naturally, numerous pintle mounts can be installed to transform GRF in a fast-attack vehicle. UAVs and counter-UAVs technologies skyrocket The explosive growth in advanced unmanned aircraft technology is inspiring industry to develop and market concepts and products to detect and stop unlawful drone flights. Most apply passive or active (hard and soft kill) means depending on the system used. Classified as a ‘lowslows-mall’ target set, detection and discrimination of smallish air vehicles remain problematic with current military radar systems, leading to a rapidly evolving market niche for purpose-designed solutions. Use of drones by criminals or terrorists represent huge risks. Their deliberate use in a large number of incidents around the globe provided evidence that they can inflict harm that was largely unmitigated due to the absence of effective drone detection technology. As quoted by FBI Director Christopher Wray before the U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs in Washington, D.C. on 26 September 2017, terrorist drones are “coming here imminently.” This estimony follows a series of videos released by ISIS and the press showing actual deployments of drones by the terror organization. From a security perspective, it is a phenomenon that Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) or drones represent both opportunities and threats. Both the positive and the negative aspects of drones Suggestive view of Defenture’s GRF highly mobile multipurpose vehicle.
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