RAF Inducts Collaborative Drone That Neutralizes Enemy Radar
The Royal Air Force (RAF) has operationalized a revolutionary unmanned collaborative platform capable of blinding enemy radar.
The StormShroud platform comprises the Tekever AR3 uncrewed aerial system (UAS) housing Leonardo UK’s BriteStorm electronic warfare payload.
It is the first of a new family of Autonomous Collaborative Platforms (ACP) conceptualized to complement and enhance the operational effects of crewed aircraft through emerging technologies.
The StormShroud will fly ahead of the RAF’s F-35B Lightning and Typhoon fighter jets, defanging enemy radars from long range.
“Autonomous collaborative platforms will revolutionise how we conduct a range of missions, from intelligence gathering to strike and logistical support,” RAF Air Chief Marshal Rich Knighton said.
“We are excited to be at the forefront of this innovation and are working closely with industry partners to explore the possibilities.”
BriteStorm Jammer
The on-board BriteStorm can suppress and deceive an enemy’s integrated air defence system, enhancing the crewed aircraft’s survival and operational freedom in a contested environment.
The electronic warfare payload’s jamming and deception techniques are effective against a wide spectrum of threats, according to developer Leonardo UK.
It “comprises a miniature techniques generator along with a series of transmit receive modules tailored to the operator’s platform of choice,” Leonardo UK further explained.
The lightweight, platform-agnostic signal jammer features an open approach to software for future upgrades.
“Operators can configure the payload to defeat a wide range of threats and can exploit intelligence and mission data captured during sorties to update the payload to handle new threats as they emerge during operations,” according to the developer.
Moreover, the payload is attritable and can be reprogrammed for subsequent missions.
StormShroud
The platform has been developed by the RAF’s Rapid Capabilities Office, the Catalyst team in Defence Equipment & Support, Defence Science and Technology Labs, and UK industry.
An initial investment of 19 million pounds ($25 million) has been made by the air force for the local production of StormShroud drones, supporting 200 engineering jobs.
Leveraging lessons from the Ukraine war, the platform’s delivery has taken place just one year since being endorsed as an “urgent capability requirement.”
StormShroud will be operated by the RAF’s 216 Squadron, which has been tasked with testing future drone swarm capabilities.
“This is a seminal moment for the RAF to maintain our advantage in Air Combat and national security,” Knighton added.
“The RAF is committed to exploring cutting-edge technologies that can enhance its lethality and survivability in a more contested and dangerous world.”
