Lithuanian Ministry of Defense will purchase Polish stationary systems to combat drones under a deal that, interestingly, is fully financed by the country's power supply companies — the end recipients of the anti-drone equipment. The ministry shared some details.
The supplier selected after considering three possible candidates will be the Polish company Advanced Protection Systems SA. It produces the FIELDCtrl UAV detection systems and the SKYCtrl countermeasure complex, the latter offered in various configurations, including the version with 30mm autocannons and interceptor drones.
Read more: British "Shahed-Killer" MSI-DS Terrahawk Paladin for Ukraine: Capabilities of this AA System
The C-UAS systems will use various means of detection, including radars, radio frequency detectors, optical and infrared sensors. As for engagement tools, they will field electronic warfare countermeasures, kinetic solutions, and several methods of blocking or jamming GPS connection.
In peacetime, funding and operation will be handled by the power companies themselves. Essentially, they will get self-protection equipment and authorization to use it. In the event of armed aggression, however, the armed forces will take control of these systems and integrate them into the broader air defense and command network. The win-win arrangement allows the defense ministry to acquire more defensive tools while giving the power companies the opportunity to help with their own hands.
The format of procurement from Advanced Protection Systems is not specified, but in its statement the company noted that the systems "will use advanced detection technologies — radars, radio frequency detectors, optical and infrared sensors — as well as neutralization means, including electronic warfare, GPS jamming and spoofing."
To sum it up, it's the standard SKYCtrl configuration. That said, there is a mass-produced solution that can combine the capabilities of SKYCtrl with kinetic methods, namely the Terrahawk Paladin from the British MSI-DS. It integrates the Polish detection and countermeasure system and complements it with the 30mm Mk44 Bushmaster II automatic cannon.
Regardless of the interception methods Lithuanians will end up using, the most important is that they ensure critical energy infrastructure is safe and protected against UAVs. The war between the neighboring Ukraine and russia has shown how important this is in today's realities, as russian strikes on Ukrainian power supply leave hundreds of thousands of households and industries without means to function.
Attracting funds and personnel from private companies is one way to reduce the financial toll on securing that protection in peacetime and free up resources for acquisition of other weapons.
Read more: British "Shahed-Killer" MSI-DS Terrahawk Paladin for Ukraine: Capabilities of this AA System
