The US military has begun testing anti-drone screens on HMMWV vehicles and HEMTT trucks, similar to structures used by the Ukrainian Defense Forces. The new protection was spotted during Exercise Thunderstruck 3.0, Defense Express reports, according to UNN.
Details
During the exercise, US troops practiced convoy movement and evacuation under conditions of active drone use. In the released footage, the HMMWVs and HEMTTs are equipped with additional metal structures to protect against drone attacks.
On the HMMWVs, rigid grilles form a kind of rectangular "dome" that covers the vehicle almost down to the wheel level. Similar structures are already being used in Ukraine, in particular on American HMMWVs operated by Ukrainian units.
The US is adapting Ukraine’s experience
On the HEMTT trucks, the anti-drone screens primarily cover the upper part of the armored cab, which should provide the crew with additional protection against attacks from above. At the same time, the sides and front of the vehicle remain less protected.
As the publication notes, the appearance of such structures indicates that the US military is adapting the experience gained by Ukraine amid the widespread use of UAVs.
Anti-drone screens cannot protect equipment from all types of unmanned aerial vehicles, but they can reduce its vulnerability to some attacks and increase the crew’s chances of survival.