Philippines-US drone drill signals rising threat in South China Sea of unmanned weapons
The drill involving two counter-drone systems comes after China’s reported use of drones in the disputed South China Sea in recent months
Both were deployed at a naval station in Zambales province, which faces the disputed waters claimed by China and several other Southeast Asian countries.
The broader message behind the drill is to signal that drones are reshaping the threat landscape in Asia, according to analysts.
“During this test, we were able to demonstrate that we can successfully defeat drone swarms in a tropical environment using layered effects,” said US Army Captain Bray McCollum, commander of the 1-51 air defence artillery’s IFPC battery, in a statement released on Thursday.
High humidity and heat pose unique challenges for the deployment of weapons utilising microwave and other sources. A demonstration of these weapons to operate smoothly in a tropical environment, such as the Philippines, underscores their potential to nullify the rising threats of drones, according to analysts.