The United Kingdom has successfully tested a new electronic weapon capable of “burning” enemy drones or disabling them using powerful radio frequencies.
The system, called RapidDestroyer, was developed by a consortium led by French defense giant Thales. It uses high-powered radio frequency (RF) emissions to remotely disable or destroy the electronics of drones.
According to the UK Ministry of Defence, in recent tests, the weapon neutralized two swarms of eight drones each — and in total, more than 100 drones were detected, targeted, and destroyed during the trials. The technology is still in its early stages: RapidDestroyer is mounted on a truck chassis and requires a significant amount of power. It emits a broad energy beam that is relatively inexpensive and capable of disabling multiple drones at once.
Experts highlight that this makes the weapon effective against enemy drone swarms. However, its lack of selectivity limits its usefulness in protecting sensitive infrastructure like airports.
“High-powered microwave systems can be a very effective means of defending against large numbers of drones — and potentially even cruise missiles — in scenarios where their wide cone of effect doesn’t cause more problems than it solves,” said Justin Bronk of the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) in London.
He noted that in specific situations — such as military bases in deserts, frontline positions, or naval ships at sea, where collateral disruption is less of a concern — these systems can significantly enhance counter-drone capabilities.
There are also expectations that RapidDestroyer will become part of missile defense systems in the future.
