CFB Suffield is nearly done hosting a four-week testing exercise that demonstrates innovations in how allied forces can detect and eliminate mini and micro uncrewed aerial systems (USA) better known as drones. Five countries are demonstrating the latest advances in counter-drone technologies under realistic testing conditions. The Counter Uncrewed Aerial Systems Sandbox wraps up Friday.--SUBMITTED PHOTO
bmiller@medicinehatnews.com
A four-week ‘Sandbox’ at CFB Suffield that hosts innovators from five allied countries to demonstrate the latest advances in counter drone technology concludes Friday.
As technological advancements continue in the field of very small unmanned aerial systems, or micro drones, used for intelligence gathering, so do advancements in counter drone defence systems.
Fifteen cutting-edge counter defence systems developed by Canada, U.S., Australia, U.K. and Israel are being put to the test under realistic conditions during the 2024 Counter Uncrewed Aerial Systems Sandbox.
“(It’s) to test their technology in a controlled environment where we provide the targets and they provide the technology,” explains LCol Chris Labbe, head of the joint counter drone office for Canada. “Essentially they attempt to defeat the drone. The focus this year has to do more with the physical response, the actual shooting of drones.”
Alongside allied defence contractors the sandbox was observed by a representative from NATO and a member of the Ukrainian military, who were able to witness some of the testing.
“Engagement and support of your allies is very important,” says Labbe. “It’s important for us to see how those systems perform in the real world because it’s not an easy test we subject these systems to, we don’t want them to fail.”
Labbe explains the rigorous testing also provides useful data the Canadian Armed Forces can use to understand the pros and cons of the system and how they may complement each other when making purchasing decisions.
The sandbox is not considered a military exercise, however it does provide the Canadian Armed Forces information when acquiring new defence systems.
Domestic defence companies as well as companies including Boeing (U.S.) and AIM Defence (Australia) demonstrated how their laser counter system can take down a moving target that is smaller than two feet in length.
“When we talk about counter drones we are really talking about smaller drones that are coming in much closer and much faster (compared to ballistic missiles) so you don’t have a lot of time to detect them,” explains Labbe.
Matt Ceh, defence scientist at
Defence Research and Development Canada Suffield Research Centre and the lead scientist and integrator of the sandbox, says cutting-edge laser technologies have proven quite effective at eliminating mini and micro enemy drones.
“We’ve been able to gather quite a lot of data that’s going to help inform our Canadian Air Forces partners and our international partners,” says Ceh. “It’s been very successful in terms of data gathering, and all the participants have been able to demonstrate successfully”
CFB Suffield held a similar sandbox in 2022 and was chosen because of its large testing range that has held major explosion experiments throughout the 1960s to study the effects of nuclear weapon detonations.
“The Suffield range is probably one of the best places in Canada, if not the world, for these kinds of testing because we have wide open space with not many obstacles,” says Ceh. “And we also have the local scientific staff here and we’ve developed good partnerships internationally for this event.”
Canada became the fifth country in the world to test above-the-horizon lasers without a mountain or other geographic backdrops during the sandbox.
“It’s actually quite technically challenging to be able to do that in a safe manner,” says Labbe. “So both from a defence and a scientific point of view, that’s quite an achievement, we’re quite proud of that.”
After the sandbox concludes Friday, scientists say they will be busy analyzing all the data collected since May 27 that will be included in a report issued to the Canadian Air Force and its partners to analyze.
Labbe says it is important Canada continues to work with its allies to develop drone countermeasures as technology continues to prove successful in global conflicts.
“It’s definitely something that we see a rapid proliferation in the battlefield,” says Labbe. “In any theatre across the world, those small drones are popping up and doing reconnaissance, they’re doing arm strikes. They’re ubiquitous now on the battlefield. So it’s very important for us to stay on top of the latest technology when it comes to countering them.”
Discussions are underway to host another sandbox at CFB Suffield in 2026.
