On the menu, Thales is putting on the market a directed microwave weapon, or “High-Power Microwaves” (HPM). Equipped with a camera for aiming, the anti-drone gun with its radar silhouette emits a large electromagnetic pulse. Less precise than a laser, the weapon would however make it possible to bring down swarms of drones in entire clusters. Battery life would be “several hundred” shots, according to the manufacturer.
A first version of the device was released in 2019, from its factory in Vélizy-Villacoublay (Yvelines). The weapon performed its very first operation during a “major sporting event during the summer of 2024” – most likely the Paris 2024 Olympic Games –, following an order from the Directorate General of Armaments (DGA). The civil event now past, the industrialist hopes to conquer other armies by increasing the range of his weapon, the distance of which has not been specified.
Fragmentation weapon against drone swarms
Swarm formation, size reduction, speed, maneuverability… “The technologies behind drones have advanced much faster than anti-drone defense systems in recent years”points out Terrence Schuermans. But faced with aircraft whose value sometimes approaches a thousand euros, armies are reluctant to fire using traditional missiles billed at six figures. The military, on the contrary, prefers to opt for systems with a lower cost per shot.
The industrialist is thus returning to the basics to tackle swarms of drones, like its fragmentation bomb, produced since last year by its Belgian subsidiary. Hosting 6,500 balls in its 70 centimeters length, the rocket must explode near swarms of drones in order to spread all of its contents. Thanks to its caliber – 70mm, the NATO standard – Thales hopes to easily conquer European armies. The factory would be the only one in Europe to produce the system in this caliber.
The industrialist announced, in July, an investment plan of more than 20 million euros on its Belgian site in Herstal (formerly Forges de Zeebrugge). The expansion of the site should increase the factory’s production capacity from 30,000 to 40,000 units per month for its unguided model and from 1,000 to 5,000 units for its guided version, from 2025. Staff should also increase from 100 to 150 people.
Second life for low-cost missiles and rockets
At the same time, the defense giant is reopening its drawers. Developed in the early 2010s for the British Royal Navy, the LMM missile originally aimed to provide a versatile, inexpensive missile capable of firing at targets on the ground, at sea or in the air. Stripped to the maximum, the warhead is equipped with a simple laser system allowing the target to be located in flight, in order to facilitate its guidance. “There is no intelligence in mind”summarizes Denis Laplane, operational development manager at Thales.
Produced by the industrial site in Belfast, Northern Ireland, the missile low-cost proves to be very suitable for drones. “Russian drones deployed en masse in Ukraine are low-cost systems”points out Denis Laplane. There is therefore no point in sending sophisticated, expensive missiles.
Thales plans to quadruple its production of LMM missiles from its Belfast factory by 2026. The site is benefiting in particular from massive purchases from the United Kingdom, as part of its arms deliveries to Ukraine.
New generation radars
On the detection side, the manufacturer is instead relying on sophisticated radars, capable of detecting small flying machines over long distances. In October, the manufacturer delivered a brand new radar for military ships. A sort of turret enclosure of 4 panels responsible for flashing their environment. The system would thus map the environment more quickly than traditional rotating antenna systems. With a range of 300 kilometers, the radar allows the military to focus more quickly on a small flying object, such as a drone.
Since 2017, the manufacturer has concluded the sale of at least 9 units – six in France, three in Greece. One of the turrets ordered is to replace the three antennas of the nuclear aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle. Another country also signed a contract, for an unknown value and number of units. Thales delivered a first French frigate in October. Some of the components are manufactured on the Ymare site then go to the Limours site (Essonne), where they are assembled with the antenna elements. The manufacturer is aiming for production to be spread out until 2030.
At the same time, the “Coast Watcher” coastal radar would reach, for example, a range of 100 nautical miles (185 kilometers), compared to around 20 nautical miles (37 kilometers) for traditional maritime traffic monitoring systems. Above all, the radar would be able to detect a flying object of 2 meters across the entire covered area. The system is based in particular on its parabolic antenna – a linear wave pulsed on the parabola is projected, by ricochet, over long distances. Assembled on the Ymare site (Seine-Maritime), the latest radar units were installed in Jamaica and South Africa. In total, around fifty units have already been delivered around the world over the past fifteen years.
The manufacturer has also developed an artificial intelligence brick to support decision-making in the control rooms connected to its radar. The manufacturer thus promises to reduce the costs of army operations by reducing the number of operators on site.
Source: www.usinenouvelle.com
