US Soldiers with the 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, conducted Mobile Low, Slow, Small Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Integrated Defense System (M-LIDS) training, Camp Buehring, Kuwait, in January 2022, according to the US Department of Defence (DoD). The Soldiers trained on the M-LIDS weapon system, which can be mounted on vehicles and is designed to target and disable, or destroy hostile drones or other unmanned aerial vehicles, in support of the Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve advise, assist, and enable mission.
The US Army is reported as training with the Leonardo DRS mine-resistant ambush protected vehicle-mounted system since 2017 under the LIDS programme to counter small drone threats. The system uses a combination of sensors to detect aerial threats before disabling them, either through electronic jamming or destroying them with a 30mm cannon or the Coyote small drone, says The Defense Post. The report is also covered by UAS Vision.
According to The Defense Post: “The service awarded a USD42 million M-LIDS contract and extended it by USD190 million in 2020. Despite the award, the system is only a temporary solution for the joint forces, as the military is narrowing its counter-drone options from 40 to 8. The army’s Joint Counter Small Unmanned Aerial Systems Office (JCO) announced a list of eight counter-drone systems for future investment and deployment in June 2020. The M-LIDS was not on the list. The selected systems are divided into four categories: fixed/semi-fixed systems, mounted/mobile systems, dismounted/handheld systems, and command and control.
JCO director Maj. Gen. Sean Gainey said: “Our goal is to align existing and future Counter-UAS technology solutions to best address operational needs while applying resources more efficiently.” The US Marine Corps-developed Light-Mobile Air Defense Integrated System is the only mobile counter-drone system approved by the JCO, adds The Defense Post.
(Image: US Army Combined Joint Task Force, Spc Damian Mioduszewski)
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