The British Army has developed a new way to neutralise swarms of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), which have become an increasingly common threat on the modern battlefield. In recent tests, a weapon system capable of neutralising swarms of drones using radio waves has been successfully tested.
The army’s weapons system demonstrator has managed to take down swarms of multiple drones simultaneously for the first time in its latest test, the Ministry of Defence said on Thursday. The new weapon, developed by a consortium led by Thales UK, emits high-frequency radio waves that “fry”, disrupt or damage sensitive electronic components inside the drones, causing them to crash or malfunction.
The ministry reported that soldiers from the 106th Regiment Royal Artillery used this weapon in a single combat scenario to shoot down two separate drone swarms, and that more than 100 drones were successfully neutralized during the entire trial. It was emphasized that this radio-frequency, directed-energy weapon can neutralize multiple drone targets simultaneously with almost instantaneous effect.
Search for Low Cost and Effective Solutions
The UK has invested more than £40m ($53m) to date in research and development of the radio wave weapon, the government said, with an estimated cost of just 10p per shot, and could “provide a cost-effective complement to conventional missile-based air defence systems if brought into operational service”.
According to the government's statement, radio frequency directed energy weapon systems can neutralize air targets at ranges of up to 1 kilometer (0,62 miles) and offer an effective solution against targets that cannot be blocked by electronic warfare methods.
Potential for Security-Critical Regions
It is stated that such systems can play an important role in protecting high-security areas such as defense bases from unidentified drones and in preventing drone-related disruptions at airports. In recent years, temporary closures of airports due to drone sightings have been common around the world.
Tests carried out in south west Wales
The British Army tested the drone “burning” weapon at Air Defence Range Manorbier, a live-fire range in South West Wales, in April 2025. Sergeant Mayers, a senior remote-controlled air systems operator with the 106th Royal Artillery Regiment and the first British soldier to shoot down a UAV using the radio-frequency weapon, said the demonstration weapon was quick to learn and easy to use.
The government explained that the main aim of the project is to develop a weapon that will allow the military to test the integration and operational challenges of deploying a radio frequency, directed energy weapon system (RF DEW).
The Role of Thales and Its Contribution to Employment
Thales has around 100 engineering and manufacturing staff working on the project in Northern Ireland, according to the Ministry of Defence, and a further 30 to 35 staff are working in the supply chain in Essex, east of England.
“Thales continues to be at the forefront of this pioneering technology and we are proud to continue research and development in this sector alongside our government partners,” said Nigel MacVean, General Manager, Thales Integrated Airspace Protection Systems.
The Ministry of Defence added that work is ongoing with a range of industry partners to bring RF DEW capabilities to UK forces in the future. These successful tests indicate that radio wave weapons could play a significant role in the UK army’s future air defence strategy.
