GBAD - The return of 'FOBS'

[daftandbarmy]

Interesting developments - time for an RAF Regiment?

Not sure how good a job they did at RAF Akrotiri recently, but FWIW...

Layered Defence: How the RAF Regiment Counters Drone Threats Alongside Allies

The rapid proliferation of uncrewed aerial systems (UAS) has fundamentally changed the way defence operates. Once considered niche tools used primarily for reconnaissance, drones are now widely available and increasingly capa

www.raf.mod.uk

2026 drone strikes on Akrotiri and Dhekelia - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[HavokFour]

Interview with NATO's Supreme Allied Commander Transformation, Admiral Pierre Vandier.

Air defense missiles is a hot topic. They also touch on drones, EW, and the overall need of a complete overhaul to reach the mass production needed of all 3.

I think the West has not considered the width and the scale of the production of ballistic missiles. We had warning, for example, about the Houthis in Yemen, that such a small country was able to strike the maritime traffic with ballistic missiles.

This should have warned us. Say, okay, we need to do something different.

During that time, the production line of the complex missile was not that big. And so I think we are in a moment where we are in a hurry. We need to ramp up this production, and it's a complex weapon. So it will take some time.

Admiral Pierre Vandier, NATO's Supreme Allied Commander Transformation

War in Ukraine has triggered a new era for NATO — Ukrinform.

www.ukrinform.net

 

[Kirkhill]

Ukrainian Defense Forces Receive High-Speed JEDI Drones to Intercept Shaheds

The Ukrainian Defense Forces have received new high-speed JEDI Shahed Hunter interceptor drones.The system has already been certified by the Ministry of Defense and cleared for operational use, according to […]

militarnyi.com

And I just posted this one but it bears reposting here

UK commits to mass production of Ukrainian-made interceptor drones - Breaking Defense

Under Project Octopus, the UK MoD anticipates that the system “will help Ukraine defend against aerial attacks such as Russia’s reckless overnight attack against western Ukraine."

breakingdefense.com

 

[Kirkhill]

Ukrainian Specialists Shoot Down Multiple Shahed Drones in the Middle East

Ukrainian specialists deployed in Middle Eastern countries have already used interceptor drones to shoot down several Iranian-made Shahed attack drones in one of the countries in the region.BBC News Ukraine […]

militarnyi.com

https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/drones-ukraine-kuwait-qatar-9.7136187

Drone Defenses: Buyers Flock to the Ukrainian Bazaar

Drones have smashed the West’s assumption that airpower & missiles would ensure control of the skies. Ukraine can provide answers & expertise.

cepa.org

https://ubn.news/ukrainian-interceptor-drone-manufacturers-have-refused-direct-negotiations-with-gulf-countries-in-response-to-warnings-from-the-sbu/

 

[Kirkhill]

CUAS-DE on an autonomous Ford F600

General Dynamics-led team unveils self-driving truck with microwave counter-drone tech - Breaking Defense

The Leonidas Autonomous Ground Vehicle consists of a commercial Ford F600 model truck tricked out with Kodiak’s autonomous driving software and Eprius’ high-power microwave (HPM) c-UAS platform.

breakingdefense.com

 

[Kirkhill]

Ukraine Uses Remote Control System for Drone Interceptors

Operators of Ukrainian drone interceptors have begun engaging enemy targets remotely using new control technologies.Oleksandr Kamyshin, former Minister of Strategic Industries of Ukraine, announced this.On his X page, he published […]

militarnyi.com

The 190th Training Center of the Unmanned Systems Forces was the first in the world to successfully shoot down a “Shahed” remotely - expert

The 190th Training Center of the Unmanned Systems Forces is the first in the world to implement the remote shooting down of “Shaheds” using the LITAVR system from F-Drones.

en.interfax.com.ua

FPV interceptor drones, costing $500 - $1500, controlled remotely from a hotel room hundreds of kilometers away.

 

[HavokFour]

I suppose this may belong here too.

More than $1 billion going to Base Gagetown as part of military rebuilding​

Part of the Gagetown specific stuff.

“In New Brunswick we’re investing more than a billion dollars in CFB Gagetown to recapitalize our primary army training area, introduce new ground-based air defence systems, and ensure our soldiers train on infrastructure built for the next century,” Carney said.

Prime Minister Carney announces Canada has achieved the NATO 2% defence spending target

For the past 10 months, we have moved at unprecedented speed and scale – working across over a dozen federal departments and agencies to spend more than $63 billion, the largest year-over-year increase to Canada’s defence spending in generations.

www.pm.gc.ca

 

[Kirkhill]

The Army wants to use bullets, mortars, and artillery to take out small drones

How existing systems are being shaped to shoot at tiny targets.

www.defenseone.com

The right answer then. The right answer now.

Developing the Proximity Fuze

In 1940, as World War II engulfed Europe and Asia, Carnegie scientists began work on a secret weapon that would revolutionize warfare and contribute significantly to the Allied victory in 1945——the proximity fuze.

carnegiescience.edu

30 x 113 mm is the smallest Prox round currently in general service AFAIK - suitable for the M230 LF compatible with LUVs and small UGVs.

....

40 mm programmable GMG grenades are a thing

40mm proximity-fuzed (or programmable airburst) grenades for Grenade Machine Guns (GMGs) are a critical Counter-Unmanned Aerial System (C-UAS) technology designed to engage Group 1 and 2 drones at extended ranges (up to 1,500m+) using high-velocity (HV) rounds. These smart munitions are designed to detonate near drones, using either radar-guided proximity fuzes or RF-programmable airburst technology to maximize damage via fragmentation.
Key 40mm C-UAS Grenade Technologies

• Nammo 40x53mm HEDP-RF (Radio Frequency): A programmable "Airburst" round that uses a pre-set timer, set by a muzzle-mounted device as the round leaves the launcher. It provides all-around fragmentation suitable for killing drones.
• Rheinmetall DM131 40x53mm HV HE-T ABM: A programmable high-velocity airburst munition specialized in anti-drone tasks.
• XM1211 High Explosive Proximity Round: A US Army project designed to provide true "proximity" fuzing (using a sensor to detect the target) rather than simple timed airburst, specifically for drone countermeasures.
• M684 40x53mm HE/XM684: An electric proximity fuze designed to be threaded onto the front of the projectile for use with weapons like the Mk19.

Compatible GMG Platforms and Systems
These rounds are intended for standard NATO high-velocity GMGs, including the Mk19, HK40 GMG, and Rheinmetall Fieldranger.
YouTube +2

• Valhalla Belt-Fed Midgard: A specialized, high-elevation GMG station specifically built to engage aerial drones using radar-guided optics and programmable ammunition.
• Rheinmetall Fieldranger: Remote weapon stations featuring digital, stabilized optics tailored for C-UAS engagement.
• Vingmate Fire Control System: Can be fitted to standard GMGs to enable the tracking and engagement of moving drones.
  Rheinmetall +2

These systems typically require a weapon-mounted programming unit to interact with the fuse.
....
25mm is being procured because there are so many M242s and KBAs in existence.

Seafuture 2025 – ME 327 25x137 mm proximity rounds ready for production - EDR Magazine

Seafuture: MES showcased its two latest developments in the 25x137 mm field, the ME 327 proximity round and the ME 329 impact round.

www.edrmagazine.eu