French navy responds to drone threat with jamming and a 'wall of steel'

"Sailors on the French frigate Lorraine have been training in counter-drone warfare and testing new equipment, firing at aerial or surface drones singly or in groups, as well as electronic warfare exercises against aircraft simulating drones or missiles. "We adapt our methods and equipment through innovation," said the ship's captain, Laurent Toncelli. The threat from drones is transforming the battlefield, from Ukraine to the Red Sea and hybrid operations in the skies above Europe. A recent spate of mysterious drone sightings over European countries has caused surging tension with Russia, which denies being behind them."

"The French navy, like military forces across the continent, wants to modernise as quickly as it can against the new threats. "It's better to have a partial but rapid response than a total one that will come too late or so late that it's obsolete," said Frederic Petit, a weapons engineer and innovation advisor to the naval chief of staff."

Sailors on the French frigate Lorraine are training in counter-drone warfare and testing equipment to engage aerial and surface drones, both individually and in swarms. Electronic warfare drills include exercises against aircraft simulating drones or missiles. A container on the helicopter platform holds antennae, radars and optics used to explore jamming capabilities, enhance small-calibre weapon lethality and integrate additional optronics for improved detection. Operators are trialing a firing assistance system for two remotely operated Narwhal 20-mm cannons that detects and tracks targets and displays confidence percentages on-screen. Military leaders favor rapid, partial responses to evolving drone threats over slower, comprehensive solutions.

Read at The Local France