Rafael Advanced Defense Systems is offering to integrate the laser ‘kill’ system it has developed for its Drone Dome counter-unmanned aerial vehicle (C-UAV) system onto South Korea’s own domestically built solution.
Speaking to Jane’s at the Seoul International Aerospace and Defence Exhibition (ADEX) 2017, a Rafael representative who asked not to be identified for security reasons said that, while South Korea has decided to adopt its own C-UAV system, this currently has no ‘kill’ element to it. The laser that Rafael originally developed for its Iron Beam counter-rocket, artillery, and mortar (C-RAM) system and later adapted for the Drone Dome as the ‘Lite Beam’ could be easily integrated, the representative said.
The Drone Dome C-UAV systems as displayed at the ADEX 2017 event in Seoul – IHS Markit /Gareth Jennings
As noted by the representative, in its entirety the Drone Dome comprises three separate elements that combine to provide protection against illicit UAVs out to a detection range of approximately 3 km and a kill range of approximately 2 km. These elements are the detection system, command and control (C2), and the kill effector.
Detection is provided by a combination of a RADA RPS-42 S-band multi-mission 90 degree hemispheric radar (four radars to give a full 360 degree coverage) and a Controp MEOS electro-optical (EO)/infrared surveillance suite; C2 by a command console; and the effector, which can be the Lite Beam laser, jamming, or even a high-pressured water gun depending on the threat.
Source: Jane’s 360