A fleet of small, remotely-piloted aircraft equipped with a variant of Leonardo’s BriteCloud decoy proved the cutting-edge swarming drone concept in a live trial at the end of July.
Leonardo, working in partnership with the Royal Air Force’s Rapid Capabilities Office (RCO), have together successfully conducted a live trial of a ‘swarming drones’ capability. During the demo, a number of small, remotely-piloted aircraft equipped with Leonardo’s powerful electronic warfare jamming technology were used to confuse and overwhelm trial radars simulating enemy air defence systems.
“Inspired by swarms of insects, the concept for swarming drones has already been recognised by the UK Ministry of Defence as a potentially game-changing future technology. Following a rapid cycle of development which saw the RCO and Leonardo’s engineers working closely together with UK SMEs Callen Lenz and Blue Bear, this live trial of the concept conducted by UK Armed Forces represents a key step towards proving an autonomous swarming drone capability.
During the demonstration, a number of Callen Lenz drones were equipped with a modified Leonardo BriteCloud decoy, allowing each drone to individually deliver a highly-sophisticated jamming effect. In addition, the decoy packages were programmed and navigated to work collaboratively to cause maximum confusion. They were tested against ground-based radar systems representing the enemy air defence emplacement. A powerful demonstration was given, with the swarm of BriteCloud-equipped drones overwhelming the threat radar systems with electronic noise.”
Leonardo say that the information gained from the demonstration will be used to inform potential future UK programmes to acquire an autonomous swarming drone capability.
“BriteCloud, which was originally developed as a high-tech protective decoy for combat jets, went into service with the RAF in 2018, marking another world-first for Leonardo and the RCO. Known generically as an Expendable Active Decoy (EAD), each BriteCloud round can individually mimic the radar signature of the aircraft it is launched from, causing threat radar systems to track the drinks-can-sized decoy rather than the aircraft itself. The only product of its type now available worldwide, BriteCloud is available for UK allies to order and is currently undergoing evaluation by US Armed Forces. “
Just posted this in another thread lol.
Very interesting nonetheless, which I assume means, 4th gen aircraft will have the potential to join in on day 1 of any future conflict with drones providing cover against the threat from SAM sites? No doubt a hard kill option could be fitted to the drones as well?
Matter of time before they get a hard kill option.
The drones could be fitted with Spear 3 and/or even be fitted with an explosive warhead themselves to be used as a drone kamikaze.
As the article says, these drones are “drinks-can-sized” – No way to fit a hard kill option!
Though one issue would be making them carrier-borne. VSTOL engines would be prohbiably expensive so they would need to be light enough to take off from the QE decks without a catapult, and we would need to install arrestor hooks or come up with another way of making them able to land on the carriers.
Just came across this which suggests that 4th or 4.5 gen should be able to take part as they will support F-35 5th gen and 6th? I read that the carrier was testing drones aboard but the article didn’t say what type.
The S500 will be coming online early in 2021, so this could be one of the main reasons for the west investing in this type of technology?
Project Mosquito: UK’s ‘Loyal Wingman’ Program Moves Ahead
Within the FCAS TI framework, the LANCA project is concerned with producing an unmanned “loyal wingman” that adds operational capability to manned aircraft such as the Typhoon and F-35A Lightning and ultimately the FCAS platform itself being developed under Project Tempest.
https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/defense/2020-07-17/project-mosquito-uks-loyal-wingman-program-moves-ahead
Very curious as to where this test was conducted. Aberporth? Spadeadam? Or abroad?
As far as I see – swarm threats are a perfect excuse to BRING BACK THE FLAK GUNS.
I wonder if Germany has any 88mm flaks left over?
I’d also use drones to stage a “feint” attack in several places to mask any “real” strikes elsewhere. If they can mimic the radar signature of other aircraft, even better.
A lot of options in the drone space.
M@
Gulf war 1 comes to mind!!!
How many drones in a swarm?
The artists rendering shows undercarriage on the Drones.
I assume them they are not expendable but can return autonomously and land if they survive??
Daniele wrote:
The main selling point for drone swarms is they will be deployed from carrier aircraft as a force multiplier at the sharp end
I guess not then!
Given the mention of Blue Bear then its likely this trial used their presumably relatively cheap platforms to test the swarming and ability to overwhelm the radar.
However, Spear-EW is one variant that might be launched from Typhoon, F-35 or Tempest program aircraft for mission use; 8-per-F-35 (internal carry), 3-per-station on Typhoon. Tempest load out depends on what what aircraft come out of the program but probably > F-35B internal carry.
It seems there is scope for smaller less expensive vehicle variants between those two extremes, capable of supporting greater numbers while still being launched from jet aircraft.
https://bbsr.co.uk/products
Sorry GHF, Blue Bear?
Sorry, seems you missed the mention in the article – “Leonardo’s engineers working closely together with UK SMEs Callen Lenz and Blue Bear“. My link above is to the Blue Bear web site products page which lists their fixed wing and rotary UAVs.
Indeed. Thank you.
Morning Daniele, I believe the current hot term is “attritable”. Basically meaning that you’d rather get them back, but it’s a more acceptable loss than manned aircaft and (potentially) more expensive combat drones for more dangerous areas.
Thanks Joe. If these might be used in conjunction with carrier aircraft, as Farouks post above suggests, how do they land on the QEC?
Man, that’s the million dollar question, which is the same as for Tempest too… As you say, landing is key because by my understanding even an F/A-18 can actually get airbourne from HMSQNLZ. Lizzie has a flight deck ~250 m long so you’ve probably got 200 m to land if you want to allow breathing space for the ramp. That basically stops all other flight ops though. According to Naval Technology, there are two other “runways” that are 160 m long, which would theoretically allow other ops to happen simulatneously?
I guess it depends on the design requirements of the airframe. It’d be relatively easy to put together a UAV that could land and take off in 160-200 m, but would it be big enough, fast enough, and with enough range to be useful? It needs to have the range and speed of the F-35B, or it’s not particularly useful in its role of delivering EW to support the strike aircraft kicking in the door. That means a jet, probably with a pretty big wing/lifting body, which means payload will be small to also include enough fuel to get back (attritable, rather than disposable). It’s certainly doable.
I had a bit of a look around on the different websites, and Callen-Lenz do the software and control systems for UAVs rather than the airframes themselves, Blue Bear do UAVs but nothing that matches the infographic in the article. They’re all props too, and max out at about 3 m wingspan, so I don’t think they’ll be providing anything for the strike group. On the other hand, Boeing have that loyal wingman thing running with Australia, which is an L/O jet with a wing and fueselage which might give enough lift to operate from HMSQNLZ. Maybe they’ll offer it to us too? Dunno what else is out there, but just restricting myself to those involved in the programme mentioned above.
Joe, I suspect you and Daniele may have misinterpreted Farouk’s comment. When he referred to “carrier” it was probably meant as the aircraft being a carrier or host for the UAV, not to launch the UAV directly from a ship. His “at the sharp end” link shows such an application.
For this trial Blue Bear may have provided some of their existing UAV platforms to Callen Lenz in order to test the swarming and radar overwhelming capability, not to test the aircraft platform.
Blue Bear are competing for the LANCA project as part of Team Avenger but LANCA is unlikely to be the swarming platform due to cost and intent as an attritable rather than disposable platform. It could be the launch platform though. The swarming concept is more likely to be applied to MBDA Spear and specifically the Spear-EW platform.
https://www.flightglobal.com/flight-international/dstl-nears-decision-on-lanca-flight-demonstration-for-uk/138929.article
??? I’m getting slow. Thanks GHF. Apologies farouk.
None taken,
I should have been a lot clearer in my post,
I really must sort myself out and get up to speed with this….?
So GHF, you’ve answered my confusion, which I couldn’t work out. These swarming drones are much smaller, and expendable, while something like LANCA is not. I think my brain was seeing the two as similar.
Which brings me back to the artists rendering above. They have under carriage deployed, which confused me somewhat. So they are not the swarm drones but the carrying drone, like LANCA, which is “attriable.”
I think I understand Farouks ref now about the sharp end.
Hey Daniele, maybe I’ve spent a bit more time reading around on this stuff, but the comments above are still just my take on this specific news. The image of the aircraft with undercarriage is probably just a place holder, much like anything you see on LANCA or a manned Tempest platform at present. Its anyone’s guess what the ghostly blue aircraft is supposed to be or why its even included, maybe the artist hit the spirits early 😉
What is certain is that there are a lot of military UAV platforms out there in all shapes and sizes, for all sorts of different roles, from lots of different countries/companies. This is probably because there is a relatively low entry cost to producing something and adding sensors to it, but its likely to be a challenge for companies to build a sustainable business model IMO.
Actually the comment on the blue aircraft might be a bit of a cheap shot, as I presume its supposed to be a stealthy F-35 or Tempest that is shielded by the decoying UAVs.
Ha! I didn’t even see that ghostly image until reading farouk’s latest comment. It has the outline of a Typhoon. Much easier to see on a PC….
GHF,
Thanks for that, I automatically presumed everybody would have seen that.
Always wondered with this BriteCloud canister based ECM, surely once they fall to the ground after use, anyone can pick them up and replicate the technology? or do they have some form of soft or hard self-destruct?
They are pretty simple, just replicating back what they hear. Not really any technology for an enemy to copy or counter. Its like the feedback from a Microphone. The trick is manufacturing them cheap enough to be expendable.
Its all getting a bit Terminator like is it not ?
Would the S-400/500 be used to defend against MRLS attacks, as well as aircraft and cruise/ballistic missiles?
If so, would it be useful to have an EAD dispensing rocket fired from our MRLS to increase the chances of the other rockets reaching their targets?
Yes, but it’s a very expensive asset to use against a very basic ballistic rocket. The beauty with the S400 system over the previous systems is that it can be and is networked together. It can even be networked with older systems such as S200 and S300, to increase its magazine count. However, due to the threat perceived by stealth aircraft, the S400 is part of a multi-level and multi-spectrum approach. It deals with the high level and long range threats, where shorter range systems such as SA15 Tor and the Pantsir fill the medium to low level gaps. It also tries to counter stealth by using a greater number of radars networked together, hoping if one doesn’t see the aircraft another might, due to the different transmission angles.
Therefore, rather than using one of its expensive 46N6E, 9M96E or 40N6E missiles, is that if part of a network it will use some of the older (cheaper) missiles or those from the SA15 or Pantsir systems.
One of the main reasons for this type of swarm’s use would be defeating a networked surface to air missile (SAM) system. As the swarm uses Britecloud digital radio frequency memory (DRFM) jammers. Each part of the swarm could be allocated a specific networked radar to target. Thus making it incredibly hard to see through the jamming or spoofing. There is an issue of “burn through” to consider. Which is where the power of the targeted radar will overcome the jammers power. But these parameters would be taken into consideration as part of the attack planning.
I think it would make perfect sense if there was a ground launched version of Spear-EW for the very reason you mention above and should be a top priority for the Royal Artillery. For example, the Pantsir system with its twin 30mm autocannon has a close in weapon system (CIWS) capability, which has been demonstrated in Syria, when they were used to defend the airbase at Khmeimim. It was used to take out small drones and unguided rockets. This therefore, has the capability at taking out a MLRS rocket. Thus using SPEAR-EW to be fired ahead will nullify its search or tracking radar. Pantsir does have an optical and IR mode, but if its radar is jammed its reaction times will be significantly lower. A ground launched Spear-EW could also be used for covering normal artillery or mortar fire, especially if your opponent has fire detection radar for counter battery fire.
DaveyB thanks for such a clear explanation of how found units might want to use such a system.
*ground
So, here we are. Something I have long warned others about. From the remote detonated devices to remote worriors. AI is rapidly taking up front stage. We are already in the age where everything is remote controlled. The only area that still is not fully remote controlled is the human race. Although, that’s not without the current major effort to achieve it.
No doubt that DEWs will also bring tyranny to the table, high powered frequency generators already hold much weight in the silent weaponry arsenal. Manchurian Candidates to all those who have their DNA on a database.
2.5 years into the war in Ukraine and these conversations are positively adorable.
100s and 1000s of one way drones wrecking every warplan of every nation.
Back to the whiteboard everybody!