From dusty forward operating bases to bustling urban centers, the whine of a hostile drone has become a chillingly familiar sound in modern conflict zones. These videos offer a rare glimpse into how DARPA’s Mobile Force Protection program is tackling this evolving threat, developing innovative countermeasures to safeguard troops and civilians from above. We dissect the demonstrations of the MFP’s layered defense systems, examine its non-kinetic approach, and explore its implications for the future of warfare.
Key Takeaways: Intercepting the Threat
Non-Kinetic Solutions: Forget explosive countermeasures. The MFP emphasizes non-kinetic interceptors – imagine strong, stringy streamers launched from small aircraft – to disable hostile drones, minimizing collateral damage in populated areas. This is crucial for protecting both soldiers and civilians caught in the crossfire.
Automated Defense: The system is designed for autonomous operation. An advanced X-band radar detects and identifies incoming drones, automatically launching and guiding interceptors without direct human intervention, crucial for rapid response in dynamic environments.
Mobile and Adaptable: As the name suggests, Mobile Force Protection is designed for mobility. The system’s small footprint and low power requirements allow it to be deployed with convoys or other mobile units, extending a protective umbrella to forces on the move.
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Multi-Layered Defense: DARPA isn’t putting all its eggs in one basket. The MFP demonstrations showcase a multi-layered architecture, suggesting a combination of detection, identification, and interception methods working in concert.
The Shifting Sands of Warfare: Implications and Future Trends
The rise of drone warfare represents a paradigm shift, blurring the lines between conventional and asymmetric conflict. DARPA’s MFP program, with its focus on non-kinetic and autonomous solutions, reflects a broader trend in military research: adapting to a battlespace where low-cost, commercially available technologies are wielded with increasing sophistication by both state and non-state actors. The future, as these videos suggest, likely lies in integrated, rapidly deployable defenses that can adapt to a swarm of diverse aerial threats.
Protecting Tomorrow’s Forces: A Deeper Dive
The footage compiled below provides a visceral understanding of DARPA’s Mobile Force Protection program in action. Scroll down to see the demonstrations firsthand, witness the interceptors in flight, and grasp the implications of this groundbreaking technology for the future of conflict. The battlefield is changing – see how DARPA is preparing to defend it.
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Mobile Force Protection (MFP) DemonstrationDARPAtv236,827 views | 555 | June 8 2021 13:27:11 (98 comments)[ Read more … ]
In recent tests at Eglin Air Force Base, DARPA’s Mobile Force Protection (MFP) program demonstrated a Counter-Unmanned Air System (C-UAS) multilayer defense architecture to defeat unauthorized drone intrusions over military installations or operations. Development of this low-cost reusable drone interceptor system approach began four years ago with the aim of creating an integrated system for thwarting attacks from self-guided small unmanned aircraft. The goal is to protect high value convoys moving through potentially populated regions where there is a requirement to avoid using explosive defensive weapons and mitigate collateral damage.
The technology demonstrator successfully neutralized tactically-relevant drones using a newly-developed X band radar that automatically senses and identifies unmanned aerial system threats. The radar then pairs targets to specific interceptors through an automated decision engine tied to a command and control system, launching and guiding rotary and fixed wing interceptors with two types of drone countermeasures while on the move and without operator intervention.
“Because we were focusing on protecting mobile assets, the program emphasized solutions with a small footprint in terms of size, weight, and power,” said MFP program manager Gregory Avicola in DARPA’s Tactical Technology Office. “This also allows for more affordable systems and less operators.”
The requirement that the system field non-kinetic solutions pushed concepts that could be employed in and around civilian areas. The primary drone negation mechanism shoots strong, stringy streamers from reusable interceptors that foul propellers causing loss of propulsion. Additionally, other non-kinetic techniques were developed and demoed. The focus on defeating raids with multiple threats, rather than single unmanned aerial attackers, required the development of an integrated solution of sensors, autonomy, and mitigation solutions more robust than existing systems. Dynetics was the primary systems integrator.
DARPA is currently working with the military services to transition technology developed in the MFP project into various acquisition programs.
https://www.darpa.mil/news-events/2021-06-07
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DARPA’s Mobile Force Protection (MFP) program’s Counter-Unmanned Air System (C-UAS) DemonstrationThe Black Vault Originals7,979 views | 358 | June 8 2021 22:17:14 (74 comments)[ Read more … ]
In recent tests at Eglin Air Force Base, DARPA’s Mobile Force Protection (MFP) program demonstrated a Counter-Unmanned Air System (C-UAS) multilayer defense architecture to defeat unauthorized drone intrusions over military installations or operations. Development of this low-cost reusable drone interceptor system approach began four years ago with the aim of creating an integrated system for thwarting attacks from self-guided small unmanned aircraft. The goal is to protect high value convoys moving through potentially populated regions where there is a requirement to avoid using explosive defensive weapons and mitigate collateral damage.
The technology demonstrator successfully neutralized tactically-relevant drones using a newly-developed X band radar that automatically senses and identifies unmanned aerial system threats. The radar then pairs targets to specific interceptors through an automated decision engine tied to a command and control system, launching and guiding rotary and fixed wing interceptors with two types of drone countermeasures while on the move and without operator intervention.
“Because we were focusing on protecting mobile assets, the program emphasized solutions with a small footprint in terms of size, weight, and power,” said MFP program manager Gregory Avicola in DARPA’s Tactical Technology Office. “This also allows for more affordable systems and less operators.”
The requirement that the system field non-kinetic solutions pushed concepts that could be employed in and around civilian areas. The primary drone negation mechanism shoots strong, stringy streamers from reusable interceptors that foul propellers causing loss of propulsion. Additionally, other non-kinetic techniques were developed and demoed. The focus on defeating raids with multiple threats, rather than single unmanned aerial attackers, required the development of an integrated solution of sensors, autonomy, and mitigation solutions more robust than existing systems. Dynetics was the primary systems integrator.
DARPA is currently working with the military services to transition technology developed in the MFP project into various acquisition programs.
U.S. Army Show Off Latest Drone Defence: Stringy StreamersCOVER Images601 views | 8 | June 21 2021 08:25:31 (0 comments)[ Read more … ]
The U.S. Army has showed off its latest defence against hostile drone units: ‘stringer streamers’ fired from a small flying interceptor.
An announcement stated that recent tests at Eglin Air Force Base saw DARPA’s Mobile Force Protection (MFP) program successfully demonstrated a Counter-Unmanned Air System (C-UAS) “multilayer defense architecture” to defeat unauthorised drone intrusions over military installations or operations. DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency) is a research and development agency of the United States Department of Defense responsible for the development of emerging technologies for use by the military.
The demo highlighted the requirement that the system field non-kinetic solutions pushed concepts that could be employed in and around civilian areas.
DARPA/Cover-Images.com
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Drone defense systemScott Billups192 views | 2 | December 9 2017 05:20:59 (0 comments)[ Read more … ]
A demo that we did for DARPA’S Mobile Force Protection initiative. The project was picked up by a major NGO defense contractor, and that’s about all we can say.
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