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France tests microwave weapon, disabling 80 drones in a single strike

From Liberty Times · () Chinese

Translated from Chinese, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

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  • France's Thales successfully tested a high-power microwave weapon system, disabling 80 drones in a single trial.
  • The PARADE system uses directed energy to disrupt drone electronics, offering a cheaper alternative to missiles for countering drone swarms.
  • This development highlights a growing global race in directed energy weapons as nations seek cost-effective anti-drone solutions.

Facing the growing threat of drone swarms, nations are seeking more affordable countermeasures than traditional missiles. French defense group Thales has announced a significant breakthrough, revealing that its high-power microwave weapon system successfully neutralized 80 drones during a recent test.

The system uses directed high-energy microwave beams to target the electronic equipment of the target, disrupting or damaging the internal circuits of the drone, causing it to lose control.

— MilitarnyiDescribing the operational principle of Thales' PARADE system.

The system, named "PARADE," utilizes directed high-energy microwave beams to target and disable the electronic equipment within drones. Instead of physically destroying targets, it disrupts or damages internal circuits, causing them to lose control. Thales reported that the system effectively disabled multiple drones simultaneously, demonstrating its capability against coordinated swarm attacks.

This technology offers a substantial cost advantage over conventional air defense. In recent conflicts, low-cost drones, often costing a few hundred to a few thousand dollars, have forced defenders to deploy expensive missiles, creating an asymmetrical cost burden. Microwave weapons can cover large areas quickly, making them particularly suitable for saturating drone attacks.

Microwave weapons can cover a large area in a very short time, especially suitable for countering saturation attacks launched by a large number of low-cost drones.

— ThalesExplaining the advantages of microwave weapons against drone swarms.

The development of directed energy weapons, including high-power microwaves and lasers, is accelerating globally, with the US and UK also investing heavily in research. These nations aim to develop rapid, low-cost, and reusable anti-drone defenses. However, high-power microwave systems are still in testing phases, and their effectiveness in complex battlefield environments and against diverse drone types requires further validation.

Compared with traditional air defense systems, the biggest advantage of high-power microwave weapons is the lower interception cost.

— MilitarnyiHighlighting the cost-effectiveness of microwave weapons.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Liberty Times in Chinese. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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