Centauros: Greece’s silent shield against the drone threat

An anti-drone system named aft the mythical carnal – fractional man, fractional equine – symbolising untamed forces of quality is placing Greece connected the representation of next-generation defence technology. It uses physics warfare to disable threats without firing a single shot.

Greece is drafting increasing planetary attraction for its Centauros anti-drone system, a cost-effective level that has already demonstrated its capabilities successful combat operations against Houthi drones successful the Red Sea.

Developed by the state-owned Hellenic Aircraft Industry (EAV), the system takes a antithetic attack to aerial defence. Instead of relying connected missiles, Centauros neutralises unmanned aerial vehicles by disrupting their connection and navigation signals, efficaciously rendering them inoperable.

Kyriakos Enotiadis, manager of EAV’s electronics sector, said the system has attracted involvement well beyond Greece and Cyprus, with countries including Armenia and respective Gulf states intimately monitoring its performance. “It is simply a system that is battle-tested” and cost-effective compared to traditional methods, helium said.

At its core, Centauros detects and jams vigor signals emitted by drones from agelong distances, giving operators valuable clip to respond.

“We are talking astir an physics warfare system that has the quality to prime up the vigor waves of a UAV from very agelong distances, giving absorption clip to sprout it down overmuch much easy and quickly, without consuming ammunition,” Enotiadis said.

Its astir important vantage lies successful its operating cost. Unlike missile-based systems, Centauros “consumes lone electricity,” dramatically reducing the disbursal of countering progressively inexpensive and disposable drone threats.

With an operational scope of betwixt 25 and 40 kilometres, the system tin prosecute aggregate targets astatine once, forming what Enotiadis described arsenic a “very ample umbrella of protection” with efficaciously nary bounds connected the fig of drones it tin neutralise within its sum zone.

The system has already been tested successful real-world conditions. In July 2024, the Greek frigate Psara deployed Centauros during EU Operation Aspides successful the Gulf of Aden, countering Houthi drone attacks. The vessel engaged 4 drones, successfully downing two while forcing the others to retreat. Some of these interceptions were carried retired solely utilizing the Centauros system.

Enotiadis noted that traditional responses to such threats person travel astatine tremendous cost, with millions spent intercepting comparatively inexpensive drones. In contrast, a power-based system offers a acold much sustainable solution.

Centauros is designed with flexibility successful mind. It tin beryllium installed connected fixed infrastructure, mounted connected vehicles for mobile deployment, oregon integrated into naval platforms. Originally conceived arsenic an onboard system, it was rapidly adapted for maritime use and fitted onto frigates.

Development remains ongoing, reflecting the accelerated gait of alteration successful drone technology. “Drones alteration technology each six months,” Enotiadis said, underscoring the request for continuous upgrades. The system forms portion of a broader physics warfare propulsion that includes programmes such arsenic Hyperion and Telemachus.

The concern down such innovations is significant. Greece plans to allocate €800 cardinal (approximately AUD $1.32 billion) to defence innovation implicit the adjacent decade, within a wider €30 cardinal (approximately AUD $49.5 billion) subject modernisation programme moving done to 2036.

At an estimated outgo of €2 cardinal (approximately AUD $3.3 million) per unit, Centauros presents a markedly cheaper alternate to accepted aerial defence systems—an progressively important origin arsenic militaries worldwide accommodate to the realities of drone warfare.