German defense company Diehl, known for its IRIS-T air defense systems and missiles, has successfully tested two new anti-aircraft weapons: the KDV anti-drone vehicle and the Cicada anti-aircraft drone.
It is worth noting that Ukraine operates the Kinetic Defense Vehicles, with at least 16 having been transferred to the Ukrainian army as part of aid.
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The tests were conducted at the Grafenwöhr training area in eastern Germany, demonstrating the effectiveness of both systems, which was achieved through "automation based on artificial intelligence."
It is noted that the Cicada anti-aircraft drone has been integrated into the Sky Sphere system, which is a modular solution responsible for detecting, classifying, and destroying drones. According to the published image, it integrates radar and optical sensors alongside the Cicada containerized launch system.
The Cicada anti-aircraft drone, which was first unveiled in February this year, can be equipped not only with a full-fledged 0.5 kg warhead, but also with a net. The latter enables the non-lethal interception of some small drones.
From Defense Express we would like to note that this solution could have significant implications for Germany and a number of other European countries. The Cicada equipped with a net is not essentially a weapon and can be supplied and used under different regulations.
This is clearly illustrated by the problems encountered by EU countries when "unknown" russian drones appear over their civilian and military facilities. It appears that bureaucracy prevents them from being shot down.
Another image shows what appears to be a KDV operating against an air target. Alongside its machine-gun combat module and target-detection system, the vehicle is now equipped with Cicada launchers.
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