The concept is passive. You don’t destroy drones when they are in bound. You destroy where they are manufactured and where they deploy from. You destroy the parts to build them. You sabotage their circuitry. What does not arrive on the battlefield is key. You still need air defense for what does trickle on to the battlefield….
Your comment reminds me of our strategy during WW II when we bombed German aircraft, tank and other vital military infrastructure. I agree totally with your comment.
I know the USMC expert who pioneered the ExDrone. I believe another key MCCP member is also familiar with this project. I will maintain their anonymity. I believe General Gray was briefed on this project and was a fan.
The Dragon began life in 1986, when the US Marines Corps contracted with the Applied Physics Laboratory (APL), an offshoot of Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland, that works on government technology development contracts, to build a small piston-powered UAV as an "expendable jammer" for battlefield electronics warfare. The program was logically named "ExJam". BAI Aerosystems was a subcontractor to APL and provided airframe parts.
"Creeping featurism" infected the program as the Marines considered more applications for the little drone, and in 1987 the program was given the new name of BQM-147A "Expendable Drone" or "Exdrone". The communications-jammer configuration of the vehicle was tested in the University of Maryland Glenn L. Martin wind tunnel, and successfully completed developmental flight testing at Naval Air Station Patuxent River and a combined Developmental Test/Operational Test at White Sands Missile Range. However, APL wasn't able to meet the schedule requested by the Marines for fielding the Exdrone, and so the program was passed on to BAI Aerosystems, with the Navy assisting by developing a video imaging system for tactical reconnaissance.
The NASA Langley Flight Research Center also assisted in the development effort, performing wind-tunnel tests and making recommendations for aerodynamic improvements, and after these changes the BQM-147A Exdrone went into service with the Marines in time to help them chase the Iraqis out of Kuwait City. A few years later, the UAV-JPO also bought several hundred Exdrones for demonstrations and training to help get tactical officers in tune with battlefield UAV capabilities.
The current "Dragon Drone" is an improved version of the Exdrone, obtained through a 1996 contract with the Marines.
Re USMC and history of drones, last century in the mid 1980’s then MCCDEC started several projects on Expendable Drones technology. We are not a newcomer to this technology but instead a pioneer.
The Ukrainians were forced to increase drone usage because they ran low on artillery ammunition. Lasers will probably not be effective against artillery rounds. Artillery rounds are also undergoing an upgrade in range and types of payloads. All aspects of “means” in warfare continuously compete the measure, countermeasures, counter countermeasures cycle. The IDF weapon combination used in response to the Iranian drone, missile barrage is still not known in OSINT. Now that the US is again funded to “fight to the last Ukrainian”…….we are first sending Artillery Rounds.
The concept is passive. You don’t destroy drones when they are in bound. You destroy where they are manufactured and where they deploy from. You destroy the parts to build them. You sabotage their circuitry. What does not arrive on the battlefield is key. You still need air defense for what does trickle on to the battlefield….
Doug:
Your comment reminds me of our strategy during WW II when we bombed German aircraft, tank and other vital military infrastructure. I agree totally with your comment.
I know the USMC expert who pioneered the ExDrone. I believe another key MCCP member is also familiar with this project. I will maintain their anonymity. I believe General Gray was briefed on this project and was a fan.
The Dragon began life in 1986, when the US Marines Corps contracted with the Applied Physics Laboratory (APL), an offshoot of Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland, that works on government technology development contracts, to build a small piston-powered UAV as an "expendable jammer" for battlefield electronics warfare. The program was logically named "ExJam". BAI Aerosystems was a subcontractor to APL and provided airframe parts.
"Creeping featurism" infected the program as the Marines considered more applications for the little drone, and in 1987 the program was given the new name of BQM-147A "Expendable Drone" or "Exdrone". The communications-jammer configuration of the vehicle was tested in the University of Maryland Glenn L. Martin wind tunnel, and successfully completed developmental flight testing at Naval Air Station Patuxent River and a combined Developmental Test/Operational Test at White Sands Missile Range. However, APL wasn't able to meet the schedule requested by the Marines for fielding the Exdrone, and so the program was passed on to BAI Aerosystems, with the Navy assisting by developing a video imaging system for tactical reconnaissance.
The NASA Langley Flight Research Center also assisted in the development effort, performing wind-tunnel tests and making recommendations for aerodynamic improvements, and after these changes the BQM-147A Exdrone went into service with the Marines in time to help them chase the Iraqis out of Kuwait City. A few years later, the UAV-JPO also bought several hundred Exdrones for demonstrations and training to help get tactical officers in tune with battlefield UAV capabilities.
The current "Dragon Drone" is an improved version of the Exdrone, obtained through a 1996 contract with the Marines.
Re USMC and history of drones, last century in the mid 1980’s then MCCDEC started several projects on Expendable Drones technology. We are not a newcomer to this technology but instead a pioneer.
Yes, rate of consumption on the battle field has to synch with rate or production in the factory
The Ukrainians were forced to increase drone usage because they ran low on artillery ammunition. Lasers will probably not be effective against artillery rounds. Artillery rounds are also undergoing an upgrade in range and types of payloads. All aspects of “means” in warfare continuously compete the measure, countermeasures, counter countermeasures cycle. The IDF weapon combination used in response to the Iranian drone, missile barrage is still not known in OSINT. Now that the US is again funded to “fight to the last Ukrainian”…….we are first sending Artillery Rounds.