Hezbollah’s use of fiber-optic, first-person view (FPV) drones has become a significant threat to Israel’s military, with at least 12 Israeli soldiers killed by these drones since March. The drones are extremely difficult to detect as they do not emit radio signals, making them a challenge for Israel’s defense systems.
Israel’s Response
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has begun deploying mesh netting to protect troops and bases, and has also provided soldiers with shotguns and fragmenting rounds to take down approaching drones. However, the IDF has yet to disclose how it plans to improve its ability to identify and track these drones.
The Israeli tech industry is also working to develop countermeasures, with companies such as Airwayz developing software to manage low-altitude airspace and identify potential threats. Airwayz’s system fuses data from multiple sensors to rapidly identify friendly and hostile drones alike.
Experts say that multiple types of sensors are often needed simultaneously to accurately identify incoming threats, including optical, acoustic, radar, and laser-based systems. The Israeli military is scrambling to find ways to counter the threat, with the chief of staff stating that ‘operational and technological solutions’ are being developed and implemented.
Original reporting: El Paso News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
