Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS), or drones, have transformed the landscape of defence, security, and warfare. Recent conflicts, particularly the Ukraine-Russia war, have demonstrated that mastering drone technology can decisively influence the course and outcome of battles.
The diverse threat posed by drones is advancing rapidly, with advanced UAS deployed not only for surveillance but also as interactive weapons.
Managing the threat demands advanced counter-UAS solutions capable of protecting convoys, essential to military operations. Convoys maximise speed and mobility for effective defences and strategic operations in modern-day warfare.
However, mobility also adds complexity, and protecting moving assets doesn’t come without its challenges.
An accelerating threat
From single-use FPV (first-person view) drones deployed as precision-guided munitions against individual targets and vehicles, to multi-use mini-drones that release grenades on demand, UAS technology is redefining the battlefield.
Larger, fixed-wing drones function similarly, guiding missiles, and delivering destructive payloads with high accuracy. Drones are also integral for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) roles, contributing critical data for target acquisition and strategic planning.
Given their ability to fly unpredictably, changing altitude, speed, and direction at will, they're challenging to detect, classify, and track. Here are some of the critical threats UAS pose to convoys:
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IED (Improvised Explosive Device) Deployment: Drones can deploy small IEDs onto convoy routes or directly onto vehicles. They can be used to plant explosives in hard-to-detect locations, bypassing traditional roadside IED countermeasures.
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Surveillance and Reconnaissance: Drones can track the movement of convoys and relay their position to enemy forces. This allows adversaries to plan ambushes or airstrikes with greater accuracy.
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Decoying and Misdirection: Drones can be used as decoys, drawing convoy attention or fire away from the main threat, such as a larger aerial attack. Convoys could be forced to waste resources on false threats, weakening defences for a real attack.
Battling the drone
The Russia-Ukraine conflict offers a sobering example of how drone warfare can redefine battlefield strategies, highlighting the need for technologies that adapt with the threat.
Russian forces have launched 4,630 drone strikes since invading Ukraine in 2022, and these numbers continue to rise, prompting the Ukrainian government to deploy dedicated counter-UAS technology to neutralise the threat. And it's working, with reports suggesting the country's upgraded air defences have successfully stopped 78% (3,605) of attacks.
Both sides have heavily relied on a variety of drones to gather intelligence, conduct surveillance, and carry out strikes.
Today’s battlefield has shown that innovations, such as On-The-Move (OTM) radars, are essential for intercepting agile drone threats and mitigating their destructive potential.
One step ahead with specialised radar
Traditional radar systems are typically stationary, mounted on fixed platforms like buildings or tripods. However, OTM systems are designed to perform when mounted on mobile objects, like vehicles or ships.
On the battlefield, OTM radar means undisrupted surveillance, protecting convoys and other critical assets or infrastructure by alerting personnel to drone threats. Here’s how OTM radar enhances the effectiveness and resilience of convoys:
- Flexible, enhanced coverage: Drones are highly agile, but so are OTM radars. As convoys move, so does the radar’s coverage. Such advanced radar systems dynamically track and detect evasive drones in real-time, extending coverage area with movement and cueing other sensors and countermeasures in complex environments.
- Resilience: Stationary targets are vulnerable, especially when using active (emitting) sensors. Moving targets, however, introduce stealth and location unpredictability, complicating adversaries' attempts at 1) precise localisation and 2) effective use of radar-guided and other munitions (RAM)t.
- Adaptability to terrain and threat: Mobile radar systems navigate diverse terrain, including rugged or remote areas where drones may operate. With OTM, teams can quickly head to strategic locations or areas of interest, evade adversaries or organise naturalisation measures with speed and efficiency.
We have your convoys covered
Putting radar on the move isn’t straightforward. It calls for advanced technologies to compensate for motion-induced effects that could degrade performance.
It takes sophisticated signal processing algorithms and careful mechanical stabilisation techniques to maintain accurate detection, tracking, and classification while the host platform is in motion.
In IRIS, we innovated a lightweight, deployable and adaptable 3D drone radar that detects, tracks and classifies at speeds of up to 100 km/h (60 mph) with our OTM add-on.
More questions about how to protect convoys with radar? We have a knowledgeable team standing by, don’t hesitate to reach out.