What are Radio Frequency Directed Energy Weapons?

Radio Frequency Directed Energy Weapons (RFDEW) are a new air defence solution that provide a complementary alternative to conventional weapons systems.

RFDEW are part of a broader category of directed energy weapons, which also includes the use of lasers and microwaves. The technology is continually evolving, and specific implementations may vary across individual requirements and use cases. Directed energy weapons have a wide range of applications, including military use to protect from incoming threats such as drones. They can also be used for law enforcement to assist with border security and can even be effective in space to help protect satellites from debris. As the systems do not need a projectile to be effective, they are not bound by the laws of gravity or affected by windy conditions that may cause difficulties with certain conventional weapons systems. This allows for increased speed and precision during operations, as well as offering operational discretion.

Unlike existing systems that jam or confuse incoming threats, the Thales RFDEW system, known as RapidDestroyer, is a hard-kill mechanism. The system operates by emitting high-intensity radio frequency (RF) waves that interfere with electronic factors to disrupt and cause damage to sensitive components contained in the incoming threat. Developed in the UK, RapidDestroyer can take out multiple incoming threats at a time, making the system highly suited to counteract the evolving challenges we are seeing on the modern battlefield, such as drone swarms. The Thales system provides the user with the capability to detect, track and defeat incoming threats, all while reducing the burden on the operator through the embracing of automation.

Available in various configurations, RapidDestroyer can be stand alone, part of a collective of effectors, or part of an integrated air defence configuration, such as ForceShield. At only 10p per shot, RapidDestroyer is a cost-effective way to take out swarms of incoming mini and micro drones, making it an excellent complementary system to existing, conventional air defence systems such as the Lightweight Multi-role Missile (LMM).

Developed in collaboration with the British Army and the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) research investment, RapidDestroyer is government supported with comprehensive training and operational development packages available.