UK radio wave weapon takes down drone swarms

Developed by an industry consortium led by Thales, the Radiofrequency Directed Energy Weapon (RF DEW) uses high frequency radio waves to disrupt or damage critical electronic components inside drones, causing them to crash or malfunction. The project has been overseen by Team Hersa, a collaboration between Defence Equipment & Support and the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl). 

The RF DEW was recently trialled at a weapons range in West Wales where it knocked out multiple targets in what’s claimed to be largest counter-drone swarm exercise the British Army has ever conducted. Tests included the Army taking down two swarms of drones in a single engagement, with more than 100 drones being tracked, engaged and defeated across all trials. Sgt Mayers, a senior remotely-piloted air systems operator from 106 Regiment Royal Artillery, was the first soldier to bring drones down using the radio wave weapon. 

“RF DEW is an exciting concept,” Sgt Mayers said.

“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.”

According to the Army, the estimated cost per shot of the RF DEW is around 10p, providing a cost-effective option for taking on the rapidly growing threat of drone attacks. Drone swarms are increasingly seen in use on the frontlines in Ukraine, with UK Defence Intelligence estimating that Ukraine had to defend against attacks from more than 18,000 drones in 2024.

The MOD says it is working with a range of industry partners to deliver future RF DEW capabilities for UK forces. Thales, which led the Team Hersa consortium, employs around 100 engineering and manufacturing staff in Northern Ireland on the project, with a further 30-35 supply chain jobs in Chelmsford, Essex, related to RF DEW.

“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,” said Nigel MacVean, MD of Thales Integrated Airspace-protection Systems.