Mehler Protection has developed a new close-range protection system to counter drones attacking land vehicles from short range and low angles.
The SCILT system has been conceived as a last protective layer for individual vehicles, addressing the gap between large-scale mobile air defence systems and passive vehicle protection. Designed to counter small drones, including FPV drones, kamikaze drones and loitering munitions, SCILT operates in close and very close-range engagements and is intended to defeat both single drones and multiple simultaneous threats in the immediate hazard zone.
The system combines effector modules, sensors and operating logic directly on the vehicle, enabling defence against drones approaching from lateral and frontal directions as well as low angles. Sensor kits can include electro-optical and other close-range surveillance sensors to support detection and operator decision-making. Individual directions can be activated or deactivated depending on formation and movement.
SCILT has three alert levels: detection, approach and trigger. The first version operates deliberately with a human-in-the-loop and the company says that further automation is planned as technology, procedures and approval processes evolve.
The effector modules use standard ammunition types in shotgun-calibre, ranging from rubber projectiles to hardened-core, tungsten-carbide fragment and armour-piercing variants. This spectrum enables controlled hazard areas and scalable effects depending on scenario requirements.
SCILT is controlled via a vehicle data bus and integrates into existing vehicle architectures. Where such interfaces are not available, the system operates as a self-contained package with its own close-range surveillance and control chain. Remote control units can be installed at multiple positions inside the vehicle.
SCILT has been in development for approximately 18 months. Mehler Protection conducted 48 test campaigns, including external and terminal ballistics, temperature behaviour, trigger reliability testing and fragment-density measurements to determine the optimal effective range.
The first version of SCILT is planned to be available from summer 2026 as an effector package with sensor kits and control units that can be integrated into different vehicle configurations.
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