US Army Tests Portable ‘Dronebuster’ in Middle East
The US Army recently demonstrated the effectiveness of its “Dronebuster” portable counter-drone system in the Middle East.
American soldiers showcased the weapon’s ability to defeat a representative hostile drone during the Eager Lion 2024 military exercise in Jordan.
They also showed more than 30 participating nations the proper form for employing the Dronebuster to achieve a more accurate strike.
Produced by American startup Flex Force, the counter-drone system works by overwhelming a hostile drone’s control frequency, forcing it to abandon its mission and return to its operator.
The rifle-like solution also disrupts GPS signals to make the drone unstable and eventually crash.
Variants
The Dronebuster comes in various configurations, with the Block 3 and Block 3B being the most popular.
Both can be used as stand-alone systems or integrated into a broader counter-drone solution.
Despite their compact design, the weapons can perform up to three hours of jamming and more than 10 hours of drone detection.
The Block 3 variant can support line-of-sight operations, while the Block 3B boasts a beyond-line-of-site targeting capability.
Testing in Conflict Regions
Earlier this month, the US Army tested the Dronebuster in western Poland to determine its potential for European theater applications.
Notably, the service has conducted its first demonstrations of the counter-drone system in conflict regions.
Russia’s massive use of suicide drones continues to wreak havoc in Ukraine and alarm nearby countries, such as Poland.
In the Middle East, US forces continue to face drone attacks by Iran-backed militants, including in January when three American soldiers died at a base in Jordan.
