Anti-drone electronic warfare systems by Ukraine's Phantom Defense tested in Pentagon programme
Electronic warfare (EW) systems developed and manufactured by the Ukrainian defence tech company Phantom Defense have been tested in the United States as part of the second stage of the Pentagon's Drone Dominance programme.
Source: Phantom Defense press service in a comment to Ukrainska Pravda
Details: The EW systems were tested at the Fort Carson military base in Colorado. According to Phantom Defense, the company became one of three manufacturers engaged by the Pentagon to create a counter-UAV environment for testing drones.
Quote from Phantom Defense press service: "For Gauntlet II, Phantom Defense deployed a counter-UAV system that combined video interception tools, a C2 [command and control – ed.] system for detection, classification, engagement and confirmation of suppression results, as well as EW systems."
The Ukrainian company used its Specter PRO dome and directional EW system in the US. It is designed to protect strongpoints, brigade headquarters and critical infrastructure facilities. In addition, Phantom Defense deployed other in-house devices during the programme, including its Specter L, X and XL family of compact systems.
Quote from Phantom Defense press service: "Phantom Defense also demonstrated Streamhunter, a video interception tool that successfully intercepted video signals from UAVs during the trials. All deployed solutions are integrated with the C2 system, which provided situational awareness, transmitted data on detected targets and coordinated the operation of countermeasures, specifically the EW systems and Streamhunter."
According to the company, the Ukrainian-made EW systems successfully suppressed the drones being tested during the Gauntlet II stage of the Drone Dominance programme. In addition to operating in various weather conditions, the systems recreated the environment that UAV operators face on the front line.
Quote from Phantom Defense: "The successful performance of the team and its counter-UAV solutions caught the attention of the US side: following Gauntlet II, Phantom Defense received an invitation to take part in a number of upcoming events and trials under the Drone Dominance programme."
The Drone Dominance programme has a budget of US$1.1 billion and involves testing solutions from 25 manufacturers in the initial phase of the competition. Following the first phase, plans are in place to procure around 30,000 drones from 11 companies for a total of US$150 million.
Background: Earlier, Ukrainska Pravda reported that the US military had placed an additional order for 1,320 F10 FPV attack drones from the Ukrainian company F-Drones as part of the Pentagon's Drone Dominance programme.
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