Missiles & Air Defence
News about missiles, air defence, and modern weapon systems.
Iron Beam: how Israel shoots down drones with lasers – within five seconds (video)
Rafael’s Iron Beam combines two lasers on one target to bring down drones within about five seconds for a few kilowatt-hours of electricity, reversing the economics of drone defence at short range.
Will the new Dutch precision weapon come from an unexpected quarter? The quiet rise of Destinus
State Secretary Gijs Tuinman wants a Dutch long-range precision weapon, preferably produced at home and possibly developed within six months. Destinus, which already makes missiles for Ukraine, is coming into view.
Germany chooses a new anti-drone missile for the Skyranger — will the Netherlands follow?
The Netherlands plans 22 Rheinmetall Skyranger air defence systems with a 30mm cannon. Germany is adding an MBDA anti-drone missile to the Skyranger; for the Netherlands the missile choice is still open.
What makes the Roadrunner-M drone so interesting for the US Navy. (video)
Anduril’s jet-powered Roadrunner-M intercepts drones like a missile but can loiter, return and land vertically if unused; the Pentagon has ordered more than 500.
Dutch start-up AI Armaments is working on an anti-drone weapon.
Dutch start-up AI Armaments is developing an anti-drone weapon with a 40mm launcher whose grenades explode close to the drone. The prototype goes on a Defenture VECTOR; the Ministry of Defence has not yet bought the system.
Glide bombs: dangerous and cheap.
Glide bombs turn ordinary bombs into precise weapons with wing kits and satellite navigation, letting aircraft strike from 20 to 100 km away; Russia uses them almost daily in Ukraine.
Germany chooses the SM-6 missile, no less than 6.5 m long. (with video)
Germany wants to be the first European country to buy the US SM-6, a 6.5-metre multi-role missile that can intercept aircraft, cruise missiles and ballistic missiles in their final seconds, for its F127 frigates.
The Spike missile: why 45 countries trust it — and what makes the new version even deadlier
The Israeli-made Spike missile family from Rafael has built an impressive reputation over the years. No fewer than 45 countries now use these precision weapons, and for good reason. Spike has proven itself as one of the most reliable and flexible missile families on today’s battlefield…
Why so many countries — including the Netherlands — are choosing the NSM missile (video)
At a time when navies are watching each other closely and modern conflicts are increasingly being fought in littoral environments, one weapon is gaining remarkable momentum: the Naval Strike Missile. Country after country — including the United States and the Netherlands — is selecting this Norwegian precision missile…
Rampage missile: why this Israeli weapon is so unique (video)
At a time when air superiority and precision matter just as much as speed and range, one weapon stands out: the Rampage missile. This Israeli air-to-ground weapon combines stand-off range, supersonic speed, and precision guidance in a way that makes it especially difficult to counter…
The Netherlands gets the JASSM-ER missile: long range, and invisible
The Netherlands is getting the AGM-158 JASSM-ER, a stealth cruise missile with a range of about 1,000 kilometres. It lets the F-35 attack targets from outside the range of enemy air defences.
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Defence This Dutch radar spots drones while driving down the road (video)
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Robotics Atlas lifts 30 kilograms and sees all around: what Boston Dynamics’ robot can do (video)
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Robotics Chinese inventor flies a home-built hoverboard over a river (video)
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