As the drone war intensifies, more and more interest is being shown in countermeasures to defend against what has become an all-out threat. Many companies have embarked on what before the Ukrainian war seemed to be a potential threat and has instead become one of the cheapest and most efficient weapons, especially in terms of media and propaganda, of recent times. Military drone technology has made incredible leaps in the space of just a few years, also helped by the civil interest in these products – just think of DJI and how it has revolutionised the way videos are made and the huge change in airspace regulations internationally.
And it is not only the transformation of civil drones into more or less improvised weapons, which had already been seen in Iraq and Afghanistan, but the outright production of small drones specifically for anti-tank and anti-personnel use (with psychological warfare implications as well) and the mass use of them – now on both sides – that has made the military industry run for cover.
The EIRSHIELD anti-drone system from DefSecIntel Solutions
An Estonian company exhibiting at Eurosatory distinguished itself by presenting an interesting fully autonomous system, i.e. able to operate and provide very short-range air defence without any external support: this is the EIRSHIELD, manufactured by DefSecIntel Solutions (DSI), designed to protect against a wide range of air threats, including multi-rotor and fixed-wing drones.
Mounted on BAE Systems' proven Bandvagn 206 (Bv 206) tracked articulated, all-terrain carrier, the EIRSHIELD system uses advanced proprietary radar technology to detect potential targets up to 8 km away; the RF sensor and an EO/IR camera system then work in tandem with the radar to verify and classify detected threats. Once an aerial target is identified, EIRSHIELD is able to track it using artificial intelligence-assisted technology, jamming radio and GNSS signals to compromise the target's navigation and control. Depending on the threat level, EIRSHIELD can be equipped with a range of effectors – interceptor drones for artificial intelligence-assisted manoeuvring and engagement – or options such as .50 machine guns or commercially available missiles. This comprehensive suite of countermeasures makes EIRSHIELD the only system in the world to offer such a diverse set of capabilities.
The EIRSHIELD's modular design allows for rapid deployment, with a set-up time of less than 15 minutes. This agility, combined with rugged all-terrain mobility, makes the EIRSHIELD a versatile solution for a wide range of operations and operating environments.
For information: www.defsecintel.com
