Polish firm pioneers mobile anti-drone tech for defense upgrades

The war in Ukraine has highlighted the significant threat drones pose, necessitating dedicated systems for their neutralisation. One of the few Polish companies offering such solutions is the Gdynia-based company Advanced Protection Systems (APS). Let's delve into the palletised drone destroyer.

To counteract drones, particularly the smaller ones, existing anti-aircraft radar systems prove inadequate as their software often mistakes them for birds. Essentially, the radar software dismisses them as irrelevant noise and fails to display them on the system operator's screen.

This oversight allows, for instance, small drones like the Warmate by WB Group, or sometimes even makeshift kamikaze drones, to obliterate anti-aircraft defence systems such as the Pantsir-S1 or Strela-10.

The solution involves specially engineered radars that can detect such objects, which can then be paired with various types of weaponry. Missiles are an option, but not the most cost-effective one for dealing with drones that can cost a mere few thousand dollars rather than tens of thousands.

Hence, gun systems are popular where a single volley may cost at most a couple of thousand dollars, and looking ahead, more cost-efficient weapons based on lasers or microwaves are anticipated.

Currently, in Europe, the Skyranger 30 system featuring a 30 mm caliber and programmable ammunition is gaining popularity, while in Poland, efforts are being made to utilise Mk 44 Bushmaster II automatic cannons or large-caliber machine guns WLKM 12.7.

APS stands out as one of the few radar manufacturers in Poland, with its products also utilised in the "Monster from Tarnow". The anti-drone system developed by APS, showcased at the MSPO 2023 fair, is founded on a unique concept.

It is a solution that weighs several tonnes and incorporates a turret from the British company MSI Defence Systems with a Mk 44 Bushmaster II cannon as the kinetic effector. It's mounted on a base that conforms with the NATO STANAG-2828 standard for transport pallets, complete with an ammunition supply and FIELDctrl 3D MIMO radars. This setup allows the entire anti-drone system to be transported on virtually any truck used in NATO countries.

The FIELDctrl radars can detect targets at distances up to 30 - 50 kilometres, but for very small drones with an RCS of 0.01, the detection range is reduced to approximately 3 - 5 kilometres. Moreover, the APS system includes a jammer, and for resistant targets that navigate using a preset course and inertial navigation, the Mk 44 Bushmaster II cannon, armed with the superior Mk 310 programmable ammunition, is effective at a range of about 3 kilometres.

It contains projectiles filled with tungsten balls and explosives, which can be programmed to detonate at a certain distance. The explosion creates a vast "wall of shrapnel," annihilating everything in its vicinity.

APS's anti-drone system is a noteworthy solution for safeguarding larger anti-aircraft systems or essential infrastructure.