GBAD - The return of 'FOBS'

[Kirkhill]

Fire Distribution Center (FDC) – NASAMS/ NSM™ CDS - KONGSBERG

The FDC is the C2 node of the NASAMS air defence system. The various AMRAAM models, AIM-9X and AMRAAM ER have all been fired from NASAMS. More than 10 different sensors have been integrated with the FDC. Standard tactical data links as well as several national proprietary data links are fully...

www.kongsberg.com

The FDC is the C2 node of the NASAMS Air Defence System and NSM™ CDS. The Raytheon Family of Missiles including the various AMRAAM models, AIM-9X Sidewinder block II and AMRAAM ER and the KONGSBERG NSM™ have all been fired from NASAMS or NSM™ CDS. More than 10 different sensors have been integrated with the FDC.

 

[Kirkhill]

I am going to double post this article as it applies both to GBAD/IAMD/Golden Dome applications and Naval applications.

Leonardo Offers Its Naval Guns as Air Defense to Counter Drones

At the end of January, the Italian company Leonardo presented in Brescia a concept for ground-based combat against UAVs based on naval artillery systems.This was reported by EDR Magazine.The project […]

militarnyi.com

Modularized 76 SRs, Marlin 40s and 30x 173s.

 

[Kirkhill]

VVLAAA

Very Very Light Anti Aircraft Artillery

USA Orders Mossberg 590A1 Shotguns with Custom Barrels for Drone Interception

American company Mossberg & Sons has announced that it has received a new contract from the Pentagon worth approximately $11.6 million.The agreement provides for the supply of an additional batch […]

militarnyi.com

That's the low tech solutuion.

....

Here's the high tech solution

US Company Develops Crossbow Mini HEL Compact Laser for Countering Small Drones

The American company IPG Photonics will present the Crossbow Mini HEL compact high-energy laser for countering small drones at the Singapore Airshow 2026.This was announced by IPG Photonics in a […]

militarnyi.com

"The laser for countering UAVs is reportedly capable of destroying Group 1 and 2 drones (up to 25 kg take-off weight with a flight altitude of up to 1,000 m) both autonomously and in coordination with several other laser installations."

"The anti-drone laser is available in two configurations: a basic version with a power of 3 kW and a more powerful version with a power of 8 kW. At the same time, the effective range of the more powerful version increases from 1,300 to 2,500 meters, but the operating time from the built-in battery is reduced from 35 to 15 minutes."

 

[Kirkhill]

This gun, the M230LF /started out as the chin turret gun on the Apache.

The Apache is now running tests on a new round with a proximity fuse that will improve the effect against UAS drones.

U.S. Army: AH-64 Apache attack helicopter completes first air-to-air test of XM1225 APEX 30mm proximity ammunition

The U.S. Army’s AH-64 Apache attack helicopter has reached a new milestone with the successful live fire test of the 30x113mm XM1225 Aviation Proximity Explosive ammunition at Yuma Proving Ground, Arizona.

defence-industry.eu

The AH-64 as a rapidly relocatable Light Anti-Aircraft Artillery weapon.

"the XM1225 APEX cartridge is designed to counter modern threats including UAS, exposed personnel, and small boats without requiring modifications to the Apache’s M230 Area Weapon System or fire control system. "

 

[FJAG]

The AH-64 as a rapidly relocatable Light Anti-Aircraft Artillery weapon.

You probably don't want it that far forward. This strikes me as an old workhorse trying to stay relevant. How many pickup trucks with this weapon system can you buy and maintain for the cost of an AH-64? Or anti-drone drones?

 

[Kirkhill]

You probably don't want it that far forward. This strikes me as an old workhorse trying to stay relevant. How many pickup trucks with this weapon system can you buy and maintain for the cost of an AH-64?

Stop with the forward ...

The CUAS fight is in the rear.

An old warhorse available to move rapidly to the threat in the rear, where the threat is poorly defined and sporadic is better than no ability to response and cheaper than establishing a LAA/C-UAS battery at every potential target.

A fire engine rather than sprinkler systems.

It isn't just your exploding tanks that need air cover.

 

[FJAG]

Stop with the forward ...

The CUAS fight is in the rear.

You're the one that gives us daily updates about how far air defence systems can reach. Believe me, for a target as lucrative as an AH-64, the rear area IS forward. There will be systems that see that far back and systems that will shoot there. Hell, before they get those fielded there will be anti-air drones up carrying out helicopter ambushes.

Start thinking cheap systems in large quantities.

 

[Kirkhill]

You're the one that gives us daily updates about how far air defence systems can reach. Believe me, for a target as lucrative as an AH-64, the rear area IS forward. There will be systems that see that far back and systems that will shoot there. Hell, before they get those fielded there will be anti-air drones up carrying out helicopter ambushes.

Start thinking cheap systems in large quantities.

Fair.

 

[Kirkhill]

You're the one that gives us daily updates about how far air defence systems can reach. Believe me, for a target as lucrative as an AH-64, the rear area IS forward. There will be systems that see that far back and systems that will shoot there. Hell, before they get those fielded there will be anti-air drones up carrying out helicopter ambushes.

Start thinking cheap systems in large quantities.

OK

RTX's Raytheon's non-kinetic Coyote variant defeats multiple drone swarms

TUCSON, Ariz., Feb. 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Raytheon, an RTX business (NYSE: RTX), successfully showcased the capabilities of Coyote® Block 3 Non-Kinetic (NK) during a recent U.S. Army demo. The system defeated drone swarms launched during the exercise and demonstrated exceptional launch...

www.rtx.com

 

[Kirkhill]

C-UAS wars in a civilian environment

Inside the Debacle That Led to the Closure of El Paso’s Airspace

The F.A.A., citing “a grave risk of fatalities” from a new technology being used on the Mexican border, got caught in a stalemate with the Pentagon, which deemed the weapon “necessary.”

www.nytimes.com

"Last spring, in the early months of Steve Feinberg’s tenure as deputy defense secretary, Pentagon staff members briefed him on plans to employ new high-energy laser weapons to take out drones being used by Mexican cartels to smuggle drugs across the southern U.S. border.

"But their use was conditioned on getting a green light from aviation safety officials.

"The law, the staff members at the Pentagon explained to him, required extensive coordination with the Federal Aviation Administration and the Transportation Department, which could slow the testing of the system. Transportation officials could even block the system’s use if they determined that it posed risks to aviation safety....."

 

[Kirkhill]

“I think coordination has been lacking, and you're seeing a lot more sort of cowboy behavior, which could be problematic,”

Civil - Miltary co-operation required. NORAD controlling civil airspace?

As Dems push for briefing on El Paso incident, experts warn it could be the ‘tip of the iceberg’ - Breaking Defense

“I think coordination has been lacking, and you're seeing a lot more sort of cowboy behavior, which could be problematic,” Stacie Pettyjohn, a senior fellow and director of the defense program at the Center for a New American Security, said in an interview with Breaking Defense.

breakingdefense.com

 

[Kirkhill]

Aspirations

UK and European allies to develop low-cost air defence weapons, UK says

Britain and European allies including France, Germany, Italy and Poland will work together to develop new low-cost air defence weapons to protect the continent's skies, a statement from the UK's ministry of defence said on Friday.

www.reuters.com

 

[Ludoc]

https://www.cnn.com/2026/02/26/us/pentagon-shoots-down-cbp-drone

WTF is going on down there?

 

[Kirkhill]

https://www.cnn.com/2026/02/26/us/pentagon-shoots-down-cbp-drone

WTF is going on down there?

Pentagon clears new CUAS rules in December.

CBP uses military system to shoot down drone in January

Military shoots down CBP drone in February.

Good news....the technology works.

Bad news....how do people feel about ICE?

 

[Retired AF Guy]

https://www.cnn.com/2026/02/26/us/pentagon-shoots-down-cbp-drone

WTF is going on down there?

People not talking to each other?

 

[Kirkhill]

People not talking to each other?

Golden Dome to require unprecedented coordination between U.S. combatant commands

Golden Dome to require unprecedented coordination between U.S. combatant commands Golden Dome to require unprecedented coordination between U.S. combatant commands

spacenews.com

And others apparently.

Pentagon now has to include its 5 principals, DHS, FAA and local LEOs in its decision matrix. All in the time between a threat is perceived and a friendly target is destroyed.

 

[Kirkhill]

British warship 'battles' drones and missiles off UK coast

Royal Navy destroyer HMS Duncan has faced a sustained barrage of drone and missile threats during a concentrated 72-hour exercise off the Welsh coast.

ukdefencejournal.org.uk

Maybe the Navies should take the lead on this layered air defense co-ordination stuff.

They have been playing the game IRL while the Armies and Air Forces seem to have been wishing it all away and pointing to each other.

 

[FJAG]

Well, if the lessons from Ukraine about masses of cheap UAVs replacing attack air and aviation and being the primary threat air defence needs to be catering to, then Iran should be.

The exchange of $1 - 4 million dollar missiles for a $5,000 drone is just silly. Firstly its crappy economics and secondly it ends with the defenders' AD systems probably running on empty long before the aggressor runs out of drones.

Yup. We still need the big systems as long as potential opponents still manufacture and fly jets and helicopters but we desperately need to build cheaper and much more numerous AD systems in many versions. Canada has spent decades prioritizing its defence spending on core functions (like a giant headquarters in Ottawa) but there's no sense in having that big headquarters or even having infantry battalions or armoured regiments if they can get made ineffective or wiped out by hundreds or thousands of $1,000 - $5,000 drones.

 

[Seyek]

Well, if the lessons from Ukraine about masses of cheap UAVs replacing attack air and aviation and being the primary threat air defence needs to be catering to, then Iran should be.

The exchange of $1 - 4 million dollar missiles for a $5,000 drone is just silly. Firstly its crappy economics and secondly it ends with the defenders' AD systems probably running on empty long before the aggressor runs out of drones.

Yup. We still need the big systems as long as potential opponents still manufacture and fly jets and helicopters but we desperately need to build cheaper and much more numerous AD systems in many versions. Canada has spent decades prioritizing its defence spending on core functions (like a giant headquarters in Ottawa) but there's no sense in having that big headquarters or even having infantry battalions or armoured regiments if they can get made ineffective or wiped out by hundreds or thousands of $1,000 - $5,000 drones.

I come from the infantry, currently work in digital stuff, and my experience with the artillery corps is mostly limited to firing 2 illum rounds out of a 60mm in the middle of the day in August. But in the world where we face a threat of constant ISTAR and attack from potentially autonomous flying 40mm grenades to SRBMs en masse we need to appreciate and embrace the fact that every single person from the co-driver of an MSVS to the actual AD gunners are all sensor-shooters in the air defence battle. Under the coordination of the appropriate experts certainly, but tying back to the future armour thread I'm a firm believer we need to look at all future vehicles as having a C-UAS role at a minimum and go to 35-40mm guns that switch over to airburst and engage drones as needed. I see it as no different than putting ATGMs onto IFVs and other vehicles, they may not be hunting tanks as a role but I think it's pretty irresponsible and potentially deadly to deny them the ability to engage a major threat when it comes at them or they stumble onto it.

If we have auto plants being shutdown, we should think about converting one over to our own Shahed-esque production. Complexity wise they don't seem much more (actually seem less?) complex than a modern economy car. Excepting possible payloads, how cheap could we make them if we built them Honda Civic style at a thousand+ a day.

Yes - where would we ever store them all, or pay for it (sales? Poland and the Baltics might want some) I'd vote start shipping direct to Ukraine, maybe split some off to the US if it'll help with trade negotiations.

EDIT: Turns out France is doing something along those lines, Chorus loitering munitions, looks roughly 3x the length and wingspan of the Shahed. A lot larger and presumably larger payload/range. 600 a month to be built by Renault.