Israel Aerospace Industries and other defense companies in Israel have presented the Defense Ministry and the IDF with a range of solutions to address the threat of explosive drones operated via fiber optics.
Among the solutions proposed by the defense industries are kinetic interception systems and energy-based systems, including one that uses electromagnetic force to capture the drone and prevent it from moving.
Various other solutions were also presented, currently being tested as prototypes at the Defense Ministry's Directorate of Defense Research & Development facility. It is estimated that the Ministry will soon decide on a series of solutions to counter the threat.
Boaz Levy, chairman of Israel Aerospace Industries, told Maariv that “given the green light from the Defense Ministry, it will be possible to enter accelerated production, and within a few weeks, an initial supply of protective means can be obtained, with broader deployment to address the threat within just a few months.â€
IAI revealed that company engineers had already mobilized to find a solution even before receiving a formal request from the defense establishment. “The engineers and employees committed themselves without the company issuing a request from the board. People have children, siblings who are soldiers, friends whose sons are soldiers in Lebanon, and they understand their responsibility to find a solution. That's why they are working to develop the technology needed,†Levy said.
IAI stated that multiple ideas from different technological areas are being considered to counter the threat, though the maturity level of each solution is unclear. The Defense Ministry is reviewing and testing the technologies and evaluating potential combinations to address the drone challenge.
Currently, Israel’s defense industries estimate that several technological approaches could effectively counter the threat, and that the production and equipping process could be relatively short.
Hezbollah's explosive drones have become a serious threat to IDF soldiers in the latest conflict. Just this week, several incidents led to severe injuries. On Wednesday, eight IDF soldiers were wounded. The day before, Col. Meir Biderman, commander of the 401st Armored Brigade, was seriously wounded, along with two other officers, in separate drone strikes.
