Three contracts to deliver air defence equipment to Ukraine worth more than £90m have been signed by the Ministry of Defence on behalf of the International Fund for Ukraine (IFU).
According to a press release, these include a £56 million counter-uncrewed aerial systems (UAS) contract with Norwegian defence company Kongsberg and two further contracts to provide further air defence capabilities.
“The contract with Kongsberg will purchase vehicle-mounted counter-drone systems to detect, track, destroy or disrupt UAS. The CORTEX Typhon system is designed to be operated by as few as two users, and can be rapidly deployed and repositioned to maximise its operational effectiveness. The system can operate individually, or as part of an integrated network, and will use a complex suite of sensors, cameras, radars, and electronic surveillance equipment to allow it to physically destroy or disrupt drones.”
Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said:
“These air defence systems have the capability and flexibility to be rapidly deployed to either protect Ukraine’s civilian population and infrastructure, or be put to use on the frontline. The International Fund for Ukraine highlights the unity and resolve of our Allies to work together to provide Ukraine with cutting-edge equipment to meet its capability requirements.”
Awarded by the MOD’s procurement arm, Defence Equipment & Support, these contracts are part of procurement packages announced by IFU defence ministers earlier this year to supply air defence capabilities, drones, radars, and electronic warfare systems to Ukraine.
The contracts come as a new delivery of aerial reconnaissance drones arrives in Ukraine, designed to carry out both land and sea-based reconnaissance missions.
You can read more here.
More information on the CORTEX TYPHON can be found here.
“The CORTEX Typhon Counter Uncrewed Aerial Systems (C-UAS) by Kongsberg professes to be the most effective means of combating drones at the moment.”
Great that Ukraine is getting this – I wonder what the UK’s effective means of combating drones amounts to?
Pinging elastic bands at them?
Hmmm…certain minds tend to think alike. Virtually same question arose simply from reading article headline. 🤔
Gatwick Airport suffered a number of incursions from annoying hobby drones in Dec 2018, which caused cancellation of many scheduled flights. They now have an anti-drone system.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gatwick_Airport_drone_incident
Looks like our military bases need the same.
The RAF Regiment have elements in this, mate. 2 FPW at Leeming.
https://www.raf.mod.uk/news/articles/raf-regiment-takes-the-lead-for-counter-uncrewed-air-systems/
Thanks Daniele. I had missed this story – not sure it got massive publicity.
Seems to have taken a while to get a capability. I wonder where ORCUS will be deployed? Maybe it will only go to expeditionary air bases?
Regards investing in Anti UAV tech. Yesterday the Ukraine carried out a quad copter attack on Soltsy-2 airbase. Which as you see can is a lot nearer Estonia than the Ukraine. The airbase is home to the Tupolev Tu-22M3, a strategic bomber used by Moscow for missile attacks against Ukraine. It appears that the Russians stockpiled a load of cruise missiles in the open (I think that can be seen on Goggle on earth at the bottom left of the airfield. Anyway, something went bang, the Russians first stated they shot down a drone and only one TU22M was damaged, first pictures say different:
https://i.postimg.cc/N0WFRhqB/Opera-Snapshot-2023-08-20-133838-www-google.gif
Interesting report for 2 reasons. 1) no hardened aircraft hangars used for an expensive strategic bomber. 2) no hardened silo for precision munitions.
I hope the RAF/MOD are paying attention to the Ukraine war and we get some of the Cortex Typhoon systems for RAF regiment as well as ideally some land ceptor and radar guided guns- heck even a guided 12.75mmHMG would do the job against drones leaving land ceptor to take down cruise missiles.
It seems crazy that RAF airfields have next to zero defences that we are aware of. Obviously cant be right- there must be weapon systems in place just kept out of the public knowledge surely?
Totally with you on this Mr Bell. It’s hard to believe how seemingly slack the MOD have been on GBAD for the UK. We sure hope things are being done for the UK as they’re for Ukraine and soon. Got to be able to protect your own turf as well. 🇬🇧 Regards from 🇦🇺
And how do you think these drones are going to travel through NATO countries, go totally undetected, and arrive at UK military installations? What drone do the Russians possess that has that kind of range and capability? Our geographical location offers a great deal of protection. We are surrounded by NATO/Friendly nations, as well as a sizable USAF presence in the UK. Huge radar coverage, and a proven air defence system with decades of experience.
It is just common sense I’m afraid. There is a huge gapping hole in our national defences. I understand what you’re saying. I’m sure the Americans thought Pearl harbour was simply too far away and too difficult to get too for there to be any threat
We have few active military bases and those we have are housing exquisite and expensive equipment. Equipment that is irreplaceable as we hold little to no strategic attritional reserve. Ergo GBAD is a priority for UK airspace.
Absolutely concur, Boy Scouts and militaries should be prepared for as many contingencies as feasible. Also useful to remind the dubious of the raid on Scapa Flow (although in that case war had been duly declared). One of Murphy’s corollaries is that the enemy has a vote.
You can’t be talking about GBAD coverage for the whole of the UK, surely? Just major RAF bases?
Yes just major bases. Land Ceptor and some radar guided guns would do the job. We’ve probably only got 15 really important military sites to protect so the expenditure on hardware, manpower etc wouldn’t be excessive.
It’s not just drones, long range cruise missiles and conventionally tipped intermediate range ballistic missiles are also a concern.
There might be pressure to defend certain key infrastructure targets too.
It’s also common sense to realise Russia isn’t going to try and attack the UK. Article 5 would be activated, and Russia would be wipped out. We are surrounded by friendly nations with overwhelming military capability compared to Russia. Its not a movie. Russia simply does not have the capability to penetrate UK airspace and accurately target our airfields. They cannot even come close to achieving air superiority over Ukraine, so how on earth are they suddenly going to find the capability to target a leading member of NATO?
If Carlsberg did complacency, it’d never be able to compete with HMG & MOD. They managed to provide a few Rapier & Starstreak to cover the 2012(?) Olympics, so hopefully they might deploy similar(Land Ceptor replacing Rapier) to at least some air bases when needed, but I won’t hold my breath.
Some reports of at least 2 aircraft being destroyed by this strike- although overflight and OSINT is proving difficult to come by on this issue for obvious reasons of Russian embarrassment. The TU22 is a key Russian aircraft- especially for naval strike operations- they are old airframes and so any losses from the remaining active airframe fleet will impact Russia’s order of battle
https://en.defence-ua.com/events/a_drone_hit_russian_tu_22m3_bombers_at_the_soltsy_air_base_in_the_novgorod_region-7682.html
definitely 1 aircraft destroyed.
https://t.me/news_sirena/18226
I wonder who shot and released this footage?
It was George. He’s great with the drone pilotting
Farouk,
Duly impressed w/ slideshow! 👍👍