The war in Ukraine has clearly demonstrated that today one of the most dangerous and insidious threats is drones. At a relatively low cost, they are capable of causing millions in damage, not only on the battlefield, but also by destroying critical infrastructure – energy facilities, transport infrastructure, gas supply systems, water supply systems, and more.
It is crucial for the managers of these strategic facilities to have effective tools to reliably protect and counter air threats.
Countermeasures against drones and other aerial threats:
The defences against aerial threats include a variety of means, each of which has its own characteristics and is used in different conditions.
MANPADS are a fairly common way to combat small and fast targets such as drones. They provide mobility and a quick response to threats, but their effectiveness directly depends on the skill of the operator, and this is the first drawback of this system. The second disadvantage is that most man-portable air defence systems are designed for only one launch, i.e. they have a single shot. At the same time, their price is tens of thousands of dollars, and one shot costs hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Another means is laser systems. They represent a high-tech complex. The principle of their operation is to target critical elements of the drone with a laser, which causes the aircraft to fail. The advantage of laser systems is that they are inexpensive, but they are still being tested, are very sensitive to weather conditions and have a limited range. Another disadvantage is their high power consumption and the need to be constantly connected to a power source.
The air defence system, which includes several components: radars and surveillance systems, command and control centres, missile systems, etc. The price of such complex technological systems is measured in hundreds of millions of dollars, and a shot is worth millions of dollars, and such a sophisticated air defence system requires highly qualified personnel to maintain and manage it.
Against the backdrop of all the above-mentioned means of protecting critical infrastructure, the EAGLES air defence system stands out. With a fairly low cost per shot, this defence tool is very effective against both UAVs and more powerful airborne targets such as helicopters and aircraft.
Firstly, this system is highly automated and does not require special skills to operate, which is quite convenient for the protection of critical infrastructure.
Other advantages include its efficiency. EAGLES provides 96% protection of the territory within a radius of 40 km. The system is also very mobile, with a deployment time of just minutes, making it highly functional for critical infrastructure protection. It can also detect targets while on the move.
The EAGLES system is widely used by the US military.
What ensures the impressive effectiveness of the EAGLS system?
The system has a rapid response to air threats. It is optimised to combat small and highly manoeuvrable UAVs of all types that may not be detected by standard radars. The system is equipped with APKWS II missiles, which are based on the Hydra 70 70mm unguided missile, and are equipped with a laser module.
How it works:
Let’s imagine an important critical infrastructure facility that is being protected by the EAGLS. Thanks to an automated system, a 40-kilometre radius is monitored 24/7 using a high-tech multi-channel radar – the electronic optical system (EOS).
The moment an enemy target enters the radar range, the system instantly detects it and transmits information to air defence forces and begins continuous tracking of the target with assistance, regardless of weather conditions, day or night. When the enemy object is within 15 kilometres, the EAGLS system is ready to launch a guided missile. The target is illuminated with a laser to ensure an accurate hit. Then the guided missile is launched, with a speed of 900-1000 m/s and a range of 8-10 km, and the air threat is completely neutralised.
If the air threat changes its trajectory and does not fall within the missile range of 10 km from the object of defence, the system automatically transmits all data about the dangerous object to other air defence systems operating in other areas, or, if possible, moves to a more favourable position for launching missiles.
Similar EAGLS systems have already been used by the Ukrainian Defence Forces. It is known that these technologies have proven themselves well in combat, which indicates their effectiveness and exceptional reliability.
One missile for the EAGLS has a fairly low cost, which makes it an economically viable means of combating kamikaze drones such as the Shahed-136, which cost between $20,000 and $50,000.
Our company is able to offer the End-User this system as a powerful and cost-effective integrated solution for detecting, tracking and destroying enemy UAVs to protect any critical infrastructure, both on the front line and in cities where no active hostilities are taking place.
