I want one of these fk yer drones and bullet manufacturers spool up!
I’m laughing my tits off right now, as can see the mighty US of A MIC frothing over these Rhinemetal Anti Drone systems, no doubt a few million each unit, and yet haven’t had even the most basic realisation that these can only target ONE single Drone at a time!
But hey, lets not let Wunderwaffe get in the way of large MIC dollars to be spent. 
So…a large slow moving vehicle (target), designed and tested to be showing them hitting one of the largest multi rotor Drones available, and even then, looking at the tracers and “damage” when the Drone finally got hit, they are just the same as a glorified Gelbaster… Spray and Pray
Now let’s get Gugari Cherenkov armed with TWO cheap $100 CJI Drones launch a two pronged attack on this glorified slow moving dune buggy… I wonder what would be the outcome 
The video makes them look cool though 
If a Phalanx on a frigate can target and bring down a missile then it should be able to knock down a drone if it has the correct targeting sensors
Yeah, that’s my point… only ONE target at a time 
They can take down multiples. Usually fire a box around it and fill it with lead, switch to next and light it up.
Depends on your sensor setup as Wombat said as well. And now they are using AI to process target data faster.
They can prioritise a range of targets based on speed, distance and threat level. Send a burst, track to the next target while monitoring the effectiveness of the initial burst, fire burst and so on
At least with a drone you dont have to punch through armour plate to detonate the payload As last resort just knock it out of the sky
It’s like sitting in a trench with a rifle and being attacked on three sides simultaneously.
You can only aquire ONE single target in any given direction at a single time, and the time taken to pivot to aquire another target takes time… and even then, still leaves a third threat attacking simultaneously the whole time, and that’s only if you’ve been able to destroy the previous two threats at a 100% success rate within the first few milliseconds
That’s the current issue with Drones, they are cheap enough to attack in swarms simultaneously, not like big expensive missiles that only get sent one at a time with big delays between salvos.
Yes it is the trouble with drones. But it is the way things are evolving.
The trouble with projectile defence systems is you can run Winchester very quick and takes time to reload if that system is overwhelmed by multiple threats. That’s why you have more of them.
They have developed laser defence systems to burn a hole in the drone but they are still in R&D phase but getting there.
US are lessons learned phase with the rebels in the red sea that’s been going on. Boats go winchester then they have to spend 2 weeks back to a port to reload.
My point is they are working on solutions to combat the drone problem. I mean our P8 Posiedons and EA18 Growler and Wedgetails Electronic Warfare can zap your mobile phone from the sky anywhere anytime.
That’s exactly where Drone defence systems should be getting funded and developed…Targeted Electronic Jamming Systems.
Unfortunately even this is already becoming redundant with my mates already using Wire Guided Drones in the Ukraine.
Drone warfare both on land and at sea is the new norm, where traditional defence systems are too prehistoric to be able to negate the threats.
New technologies are needed, but it’s still well behind by trying to adapt old lead chuckers to try and defend against such small fast moving targets en masse.
That’s why they are using fibre optic cable connected drones. Direct control to avoid the electronic jamming. They’ve been doing that for over a year because even friendly electronic warfare systems will zap them.
As my Uncle said. Friendly fire usually isn’t friendly at all
Oh yea, 2024 was the year AI got let loose.
It has become self aware. Movies usually predict the future as humans watch it and go, that’s a good idea
Watched the CES Nvidia release of their new graphics card. AI AI AI AI.
Depends though if we can control it.
Watch this Aussie magazine becomes first to feature AI model on cover | Watch
They can prioritise all they like but while one is being engaged a second or more can zip in really fast, ever seen videos of those race drones or the one that beat a f1 car carrying 2 camera’s? sound like a damned mosquito going by your ear.
But that’s a trillion dollar company sponsered for your viewing pleasure.
Again air defence does not target one by one. Depending on the system as they are usually tied in to radar which sees all. You can send a thousand, draw a box around them and fill it with lead. It’s not like a single shot. Factors of range and the little speed they do. That’s barely going 350klm/hr the Red bull one. That’s nothing.
You can send other systems that airburst to send shrapnel to disable multiple targets which they mostly do.
The problem is, do you have that capability on hand when the drones come. They are trying all sorts to combat the problem from EW to handheld even 12g shotguns. But when you get overwhelmed you get overwhelmed.
Same damn thing happened in WW2. New Guinea campaign my grandfather fought in. The whistle blows and the enemy would charge their camp with the enemy dropping at his feet because of the awesome Bren gun.
1 Like
Yep, there has been significant improvements in drone technology. Scram jet powered drones are awesome, although they are more like model aircraft with propeller stabilisers.
It’s ironic that the ones that were causing havoc in middle east where the slow Rotax powered foam shells - because they can carry an effective payload and targeting systems were looking for fast moving objects.
The PDP4 based targeting system of the old Phalanx was able to detect and eliminate multiple missiles approaching at supersonic speed. The new targeting system can handle a significantly higher number of threats, with greater accuracy.
As @DocBob pointed out - the limitation comes from multi-sided attack when a single weapon has to rotate through 270 degrees and like all physical deterrent systems, they can be overcome by volume (eg iron dome and Hezbollah 250+ simultaneous rocket launch). That is why we put a Phalanx on the bow and stern of the FFGs. The people developing the defence systems are working on multi-threat protocols
BTW - It’s interesting that the QUT scram-jet team has disappeared into the cone of silence
I get that was a trillion dollar company but the thing is these things can be built cheap and alot of them and programing is easy after the first one.
As for countering them, you would need to find a easy to hit weakness that cant be shileded against and can also be carryed by a person, thats easy with something like a dji drone, just block its frequencys and the things will return to home more often then not but something like fpv’s like they have used in ukraine, they will just fall out of the sky and that is alot harder because just 3 layers of tin foil you can basicly stop a emp from hitting the flight controller and wiring to the motors.
Current world record drone btw is 480.23 km/h thats 130km/h faster then redbull’s, i just never grabbed the right video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wThmg8Ezm9w
@Wombat even more interesting is i cant find crap about the qut team so they have had anything online yoinked by someone.
Yep - disappeared into the cone of silence - probably the US equivalent of DSTG
1 Like
Oh yes they have their use and have been for over a decade all ready.
Still 500klm/hr is nothing. They are slow. Limited range. It’s just the proliferation of smaller cheaper ones are causing damage in traditional warfare. Which we have been in peace for the most part since WW2 besides a few other conflicts from radicals. Hence technology has evolved but Militaries have kept mostly as they are. Upgrade as they age out from training and the odd conflict.
It doesn’t matter anyway, war is never good and somebody always makes something to try get the advantage. You can boast and bristle all a country likes, but in conflict people die on both sides. That is War, always has and always will be.
1 Like
Dude runs a magazine and yet struggles to put a single sentence together!
AI is going to put a LOT of people out of work 
It’s already happening in the film/media/Arts/music/manufacturing and many more various industries.
Can’t wait until AI can round up and shear sheep mate!