GBAD - The return of 'FOBS'

[Kirkhill]

Interceptor drones are taking over in Ukraine, but soldiers are still using machine guns to battle Russian threats

The drones are still in limited supply and are not always the ideal interception method, Ukrainian soldiers and an official told Business Insider.

www.businessinsider.com

Layers are still the answer.

And that goes for aircraft, missiles, tanks and subs.

Is the Treasury starting to understand the concept of redundancy?

 

[Kirkhill]

UK sends automated drone-killing turrets and missiles to Ukraine in £600m air defence surge | LBC

Britain is sending automated turrets and advanced missile systems to help Ukraine shoot down Russian drones, as part of a £600 million air defence package designed to protect civilians and critical infrastructure through the winter.

www.lbc.co.uk

 

[Kirkhill]

And Rheinmetall demonstrating their Skyspotter system in Finland.

Rheinmetall tests counter-drone systems in Finland

Rheinmetall has demonstrated its countermeasures against small unmanned aerial systems during the Ground-based Air Defence (GBAD) Demo Days at the Lohtaja firing range in Finland. According to a press release from Rheinmetall, representatives of Rheinmetall Air Defence AG were invited

defence-blog.com

 

[Kirkhill]

And the USMC has started deploying their MADIS C-UAS LAA system

It is interesting the sponsoring units -

"The U.S. Marine Corps has fielded two Marine Air Defense Integrated Systems to
1st Low Altitude Air Defense Battalion,
Marine Air Control Group 18,
1st Marine Aircraft Wing,
on 12 December 2025."

U.S. Marine Corps fields MADIS air defence systems to 1st LAAD Battalion in Indo-Pacific area

The U.S. Marine Corps has fielded two Marine Air Defense Integrated Systems to 1st Low Altitude Air Defense Battalion, Marine Air Control Group 18, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, on 12 December 2025.

defence-industry.eu

Recognizing that things are both simpler and more complex as a result but the USMC is a Joint Force all on its own and here the MADIS system is not being deployed with their Artillery-centric Marine Littoral Regiments but their version of their Air Force.

Other MADIS systems are deployed to the 12tn LAA Bn of the 12th MLR and the 3rd LAA Bn of the 3rd MLR.

 

[Kirkhill]

Kongsberg to integrate Skyranger 30 anti-drone system with NASAMS and NOMADS for Netherlands

Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace has signed a contract with Rheinmetall Air Defence to deliver its command and control solution for the Skyranger 30 mobile air defence system.

defence-industry.eu

Leidos-led Land 156 demo proves integrated counter-drone capability for Australian Defence Force

Last week, Leidos Australia and its Land 156 project partners demonstrated a mission-ready counter-drone capability for the Australian Defence Force during Exercise Southern Arrow 25.

defence-industry.eu

Dutch and Aussie solutions

The Dutch are probably the furthest along towards an IAMD (Integrated Air Missile Defence)

The middle of their system is the Kongsberg NASAMS MRAD system based on the AIM-120 AMRAAM and the AIM-9X Sidewinder.
NOMADs is a SHORAD system, also developed by Kongsberg, that launches Sidewinders and IRIS-T missiles from the back of a tracked APC that is also equipped with a 12.7 mm Kongsberg RWS for self-defence.
The VSHORAD layer will be provided by Kongsberg integrating the Rheinmetall Skyranger 30, with a 30x 173 mm cannon, an onboard missile launcher compatible with the Stinger MANPADS currently in Dutch service , and the APC of the NOMAD system. An onboard laser is an option for the turret.

Stingers are also part of the Dutch Air Defence plan in both shoulder and vehicle launched roles. They will reinforce the smaller calbre RWS systems widely distributed on vehicles.

LRAD coverage is supplied by Patriot missiles.

.....

The Aussie's VSHORAD Land 156 package is leaning towards the EOS Sentinel AI RWS turret with a 30 x 113mm cannon (common to the USMC MADIS system and the US Army Stryker based M-SHORAD), backed up with the L3Harris VAMPIRE missile system armed with 70mm Hydra APKWS II missiles. EOS is also offering a 150 kW laser as an additional option.

They are in the process of divesting themselves of their RBS-70 MANPADS by donating them to Ukraine while standing up NASAMS units. the NASAMS have both fixed and mobile launchers with the mobile launchers being mounted on the Hawkei 4x4.

GB-LRAD does not seem to be a priority at this time. LRAD seems to be left to the Air Force and the Navy.