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The Joint Interagency Field Experimentation (JIFX) team at the US Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) has concluded a week of prototyping and demonstrations to help accelerate potential dual-use applications.
Conducted in partnership with Camp Roberts, the California Army National Guard post in southern Monterey County, and occurring quarterly, the latest JIFX assessment featured counter-uncrewed aerial systems (C-UAS), directed energy, AI and autonomy, integrated sensing and other critical requirement areas. During the week, 23 industry partners conducted experiments with 24 unique technologies, which were evaluated by Department of Defence stakeholders from numerous commands and forces.
NPS says that during the event and despite typical winter conditions, the single-day record for sorties flown by UAS was broken. On the third day, 85 sorties were flown by 11 different drones at three different tactical locations—McMillan Airfield, the Combined Arms Collective Training Facility (CACTF), and the Forward Operating Base (FOB).
The hard rain and wind did not deter a laser weapon system (LWS) from zapping a steady stream of UAS. This was the first use of an LWS at JIFX over the course of its nearly two decade-long history. The LWS, fielded by Aurelius Systems, blasted Group 1 quadcopters at ranges of 50 and 110 metres, the longest distance that Aurelius had ever engaged a target. The LWS used near-infrared fibre lasers, and the targeted drones were initially affixed to static mounts then later towed along by a moving target gunnery line.
JIFX plays an important role in the steps of Aurelius’ LWS development and the company intends to bring the system to the next JIFX event in May, where it plans to use more powerful lasers and live fire at free-flying drones.
To reduce the detectability of the LWS’ presence and demonstrate improved portability, the three large generators powering Aurelius’ LWS were disconnected. Chariot Defense provided its high-voltage battery system, which powered successful shots of the LWS, with enough remaining juice to fire over 1,000 more blasts.
In other C-UAS developments, NPS participants in the Bold Machina (BOMA) exercise to be run by Allied Special Operations Forces Command (SOFCOM) later this year, visited JIFX to better understand the processes by which technologies can be rapidly evaluated and accelerated for adoption. The participants intend to develop a technological solution for countering drones that can potentially be fielded during the BOMA exercise, which will be run off the coast of the Netherlands this autumn.