The Norwegian Air Force has begun duty for the first time with the new C-UAS counter-drone system at Ørland Air Base. The system is designed to detect, identify, jam and destroy drones, NRK reports, writes UNN.
Details
The system was delivered in the spring, and its implementation was accelerated following numerous reports of possible drone sightings in Norway and other European countries. C-UAS will protect military bases, fixed installations and facilities from drones weighing up to 150 kg.
The system combines several types of sensors, including radars, as well as kinetic and non-kinetic means of engagement.
"The fact that we have installed modern sensors and effectors here demonstrates a significant increase in counter-drone capabilities,"
The system will be deployed at other bases
In September last year, Norwegian police reported possible drone activity near Ørland Air Base. Law enforcement later said the sightings were likely linked to flashes from celestial bodies, but these incidents accelerated the implementation of the new system.
The air base already has NASAMS surface-to-air missile systems, but using them against small drones is a significantly more expensive solution. Lars Peder Haga, an expert at the Norwegian Defence University College, said that the availability of small unmanned aerial vehicles poses a real threat to military facilities and equipment.
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Norway plans to gradually deploy C-UAS at other Armed Forces facilities, including Evenes Air Station. The framework agreement with the British company Operational Solutions Ltd. is valued at up to 938 million Norwegian kroner and is set to run for four years, with the possibility of an extension for another three.
A separate drone unit has also been established at Ørland Air Base; the drones are planned to be used for reconnaissance, mapping and combating other drones. By 2036, Norway plans to invest nearly 19 billion kroner in drones, electronic warfare equipment and autonomous systems.