Russia Develops Anti-Drone Warfare Tech

Russia has completed development of a new mobile anti-drone warfare complex, ‘Repellent’ to destroy miniature enemy drones.

The anti-drone system was first showcased during the Army-2016 expo in September. It is capable of detecting, neutralizing spy drones at a distance of over 30 kms, Izvestia newspaper reported Thursday.

The system jams control sensors of the enemy drones by directed interference of the drones’ satellite navigation systems. The system is capable of using spy drones’ control signals to detect them under extreme weather conditions and at long distances.

The system is mobile and is built on a three-axle MAZ-6317 truck and can also be used against military units on the battlefield as well as bases and airfields.

“At the moment, work on the complex has been completed."  "The system has passed the full cycle of necessary testing, including under the auspices of the Ministry of Defense, and fully conforms to the design characteristics inherent in the development phase,” STC-EW general director Aleksandr Sarkisyan  was quoted as saying by Izvestia. According to Sarkisyan, the system is now being considered for introduction into the Russian Armed Forces.

Furthermore, development work is also planned for a portable version of the anti-miniature drone system. "We plan to create a portable, collapsible version of the complex, adopted to be carried by several persons" in disassembled form, which would make it "suitable for rapid deployment in crowded areas," Sarkisyan explained.

Defense systems analyst Oleg Zheltonozhko said that in modern warfare, "small size drones are used not only for aerial reconnaissance…but to correct short-range artillery fire. Because of their small size, they are immune to conventional air defense systems."