Latest news with #NigelMacVean
Yahoo
17-04-2025
- Yahoo
In first, British Army uses radio-wave weapon to knock out drone swarm
PARIS — The British Army successfully tested a radio-wave weapon to knock out drone swarms, as militaries look for new ways to neutralize what has become one of the biggest threats on the modern battlefield. The Army was able to defeat drone swarms for the first time in the latest trial of the weapon-system demonstrator, the Ministry of Defence said in a statement on Thursday. The weapon, developed by a consortium led by Thales UK, uses high-frequency radio waves to fry drone internals, disrupting or damaging critical electronic components and causing the drones to crash or malfunction. Soldiers from 106 Regiment Royal Artillery took down two swarms of drones in a single engagement using the weapon, and more than 100 drones were immobilized across all trials, the MoD said. The radio-frequency, directed-energy weapon was capable of neutralizing multiple drone targets simultaneously with near-instant effect, it said. The U.K. has invested more than £40 million (US$53 million) into research and development of the radio-wave weapons to date, it said. With an estimated cost of 10 pence per shot fired, 'if developed into operational service it could provide a cost-effective complement to traditional missile-based air defense systems,' the government said. Radio-frequency directed energy weapon systems can defeat airborne targets at ranges of up to 1 kilometer (0.62 mile), and are effective against targets that can't be jammed using electronic warfare, according to the government. Such systems could help protect security-sensitive areas such as defense bases from unidentified drones, as well as play a role in preventing disruption at airports, the government said. Drone sightings have caused airport shutdowns around the world in recent years. The demonstrator weapon was quick to learn and easy to use, according to testimony from Sgt. Mayers, a senior remotely-piloted air systems operator from 106 Regiment Royal Artillery, who made history as the first British soldier to bring down drones using a radio-frequency weapon. The trail was conducted at Air Defence Range Manorbier, a live-firing range in south-west Wales. The purpose of the project is to develop a weapon that allows the Army to test the integration challenges and operational challenges of fielding a radio-frequency, directed-energy weapon system, or RF DEW, the government said. Thales have around 100 engineering and manufacturing staff in Northern Ireland working on the project, with another 30 to 35 supply chain jobs in Essex in east England, according to the MoD. 'Thales continues to be at the forefront of this pioneering technology, and we are proud to continue the research and development in this sector alongside our partners in government,' said Nigel MacVean, managing director of Thales Integrated Airspace-protection Systems. The MoD said it's working with a range of industry partners to provide U.K. forces with future RF DEW capabilities.
The Independent
05-03-2025
- Business
- The Independent
Arms manufacturer to open third facility in Northern Ireland
A major weapons manufacturer is set to open a third facility in Northern Ireland, Assembly members have heard. Thales UK operates two sites in the region – with high-precision missiles designed and produced at a plant in east Belfast, and final missile assembly at another plant in Crossgar, Co Down. It designs and produces missiles including Starstreak, Lightweight Multi-role Missile (LMM) systems as well as final assembly of the Saab designed NLAW. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer recently announced that Thales would supply 5,000 LMMs to Ukraine in a deal worth up to £1.6 billion. Appearing at the Stormont Economy committee, Nigel MacVean, managing director for Thales in Northern Ireland, revealed plans for a third site. He also told MLAs that missiles have been shipped from Belfast to the front line in Ukraine and are making an impact. He said LMMs are 'widely recognised as one of the key drivers in keeping Russian helicopters out of Ukraine', while the NLAW 'is widely regarded as being responsible for keeping Russian tanks out of Kyiv'. Mr MacVean said the firm has been on a rapid growth curve over the last couple of years, and will continue to grow rapidly. He said there are currently 850 direct employees in Belfast and they expect to create another 200 jobs over the next two years. 'We'll expand our footprint from the two existing sites we have in Northern Ireland to a third site as well as part of that expansion plan,' he told MLAs. 'We're at the moment just launching around £100 million worth of investment in our facilities, capital infrastructure in Northern Ireland. That'll be largely undertaken by local companies.' The committee heard from a number of firms during its meeting on Wednesday morning which included a briefing from the UK Aerospace, Defence, Security and Space industries (ADS) on the need for a long-term strategic plan to support the industry. Leslie Orr, from the ADS Group – a trade body for sectors, said the industry is now worth £2.2 billion to the Northern Ireland economy, and employs more than 10,000 people. 'It's a critical sector for Northern Ireland,' he added.
BBC News
05-03-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Thales to open third facility in NI
Thales, the French-owned arms company, is to open a third facility in Northern Ireland, MLAs have been Sunday Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced that Thales would supply 5,000 of its lightweight multirole missiles (LMMs) to Ukraine in a deal worth up to £1.6bnThe company currently has a factory in east Belfast and a test facility in County managing director Nigel MacVean said the company was investing £100m in NI which would include opening at a third site. The company is also planning to recruit 200 additional staff over the next two to a Stormont committee Mr MacVean said the LMMs were keeping Russian helicopters out of Ukraine and another Thales weapon, the Next generation Light Anti-tank Weapon (the NLAW), had kept Russian tanks out of began delivering LMMs to Ukraine at the end of 2024 as part of an initial £162m contract for 650 of the missiles. The new order is in addition to contract has been placed by the MoD's procurement arm Defence Equipment & Support on behalf of the Ukrainian will be funded by a loan underwritten by United Kingdom Export Finance (UKEF) after a deal signed last year to allow Ukraine to draw on £3.5bn worth of support from UKEF to spend with UK industry.
