Soldiers from the U.S. Army’s 2nd Cavalry Regiment demonstrated the ability to detect, track, and neutralize multiple drones using the Ballistic Low Altitude Drone Engagement (BLADE) system, integrated into a Stryker vehicle, during a live-fire exercise at the Bemowo Piskie Training Area in northeastern Poland on August 1.
The activity was part of Project Flytrap 4.0, aimed at developing new tactics and technologies for counter-drone warfare.
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According to David Goldstein, counter-UAS systems lead at the Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Armaments Center, some of the aerial threats were launched simultaneously, requiring rapid responses:
“The system defeated one target and, within seconds, engaged and neutralized another,” he emphasized.
Drone Warfare Technology
The BLADE project was developed between 2016 and 2019 to counter unmanned aerial threats. It is based on the CROWS (Common Remotely Operated Weapons Station), a remotely operated weapon station already in use across various Army formations.
By combining precision radar, counter-drone fire control software, and the CROWS platform, BLADE enables operators to identify, track, and calculate interception points in real time. During the exercise in Poland, the system was tested with the .50 caliber M2 machine gun, firing bursts at aerial targets at ranges of 500 to 800 meters.
In addition to live fire, BLADE also participated in training scenarios without ammunition, simulating the detection and tracking of threats.
Integration with Allies and New Solutions
Project Flytrap 4.0 brought together soldiers from the U.S. Army’s 2nd Cavalry Regiment and the U.K.’s 1st Battalion, Royal Yorkshire Regiment, in joint exercises exploring the use of new counter-drone technologies.
The program also introduced CNALT software, developed by the Armaments Center, which provides fire-control and tactical visualization tools to reduce the engagement cycle — known as the kill chain. With just 15 minutes of instruction, soldiers were able to operate the system and make engagement recommendations based on real-time sensor data.
Source and images: defense.gov. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
