International company Thales has unveiled the RapidDestroyer system, a radio-frequency directed-energy weapon (RFDEW). During recent tests in the United Kingdom, it was used to destroy 80 UAVs.

Interest in directed-energy weapons is no accident: small arms and missile systems are not always capable of countering mass drone raids, while RFDEW can engage several targets at once without the use of expensive interceptors, Techcult reports. Acting instantly, radio-frequency pulses disable critical UAV systems — primarily their electronic components — after which the drones lose functionality and cannot continue flying.

In the latest version of RapidDestroyer, the developers installed an upgraded four-panel effector that concentrates more energy on the target, making it possible to disable enemy drones more effectively and accurately.

The system combines radio-frequency weaponry with Thales software for command and control, as well as artificial intelligence for rapid threat detection and response. At the same time, the entire process is still controlled by operators. Thanks to systems like RapidDestroyer, countries gain the ability to significantly strengthen protection against mass drone attacks.