British soldiers have tested a groundbreaking new radio wave weapon, taking down swarms of drones in the first test of its kind, U.K. officials said.
The test, conducted in West Wales, was the largest anti-drone exercise performed by the British army, the U.K. Ministry of Defense announced.
Demonstrators used a Radio Frequency Directed Energy Weapon to disable multiple drones at once by using high-frequency radio waves to destroy internal components of unmanned drones. British soldiers tracked, engaged and eliminated more than 100 drones with the RFDEW system, which was developed by defense contractor Thales UK.
The British army added that the RFDEW system can eliminate airborne targets up to nearly half a mile away and is effective against technology resistant to electronic warfare.
The successful test follows significant investment by the United Kingdom into RFDEW systems. According to a statement, the government has spent upwards of £40 million on research and development and maintains 135 high-skilled jobs in Northern Ireland and South East England.
The U.K. says the RFDEW technology will likely become part of the nation’s larger defense infrastructure.
“This significant experiment exemplifies the strength of British innovation — driven by our home-grown industry, technology firms and scientific talent,” said Maria Eagle, minister of defense procurement and industry. “We continue to strengthen our defence sector, adding more cutting-edge capabilities to keep the UK secure at home and strong abroad, while making defence an engine for growth across our towns and cities.”
