StormShroud is a new and powerful drone that has been formally put into service by the British Royal Air Force (RAF).
A New Kind of Drone Takes Flight
This drone is not like the ones most people know from movies or everyday use. StormShroud is a military drone, specially built to help fighter jets like the F-35B and Eurofighter Typhoon by jamming enemy radar systems.
In simple words, enemy radar systems are like big electronic eyes that try to spot aircraft in the sky. When a fighter jet enters hostile airspace, these radars can detect it and send alerts to launch missiles or take other defensive actions. What StormShroud does is blind those radars, making it much harder for them to see British jets flying in. This helps pilots stay safe and perform their missions without being easily spotted or attacked.
StormShroud is a type of autonomous system, which means it can fly and complete tasks on its own without someone controlling it from the ground every second. However, it’s also designed to work side by side with human pilots in crewed aircraft. This type of teamwork between drones and jets is part of a new way of fighting that many modern air forces, including the UK’s, are working toward.
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Helping Modern Fighter Jets
The F-35B Lightning II and the Eurofighter Typhoon are two significant aircraft utilized by the UK military that the StormShroud drone is designed to serve.
The F-35B is a high-tech stealth jet made by a US company. It can take off and land vertically, which means it doesn’t always need a long runway. The UK uses this jet mainly from its powerful Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carriers, which are huge ships that act as floating airbases.
Another fighter jet that the UK uses is the Typhoon, which was created by a consortium of European businesses. Though it’s from an earlier generation than the F-35B, it’s still extremely fast and capable in battles. Both jets need to fly into areas where they might be tracked by enemy radar systems. That’s where StormShroud comes in.
By flying ahead or nearby, StormShroud can jam or block enemy radar signals using a special technology package called BriteStorm. This makes it hard for enemy systems to get a clear look at the fighter jets. As a result, the pilots of the F-35B and Typhoon are better protected and more able to carry out their missions successfully.
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The Tekever AR3 platform, which is manufactured in two locations in the United Kingdom, serves as the foundation for the drone itself. The BriteStorm system that goes inside it is made by Leonardo UK and is focused on electronic warfare. This means the system uses signals and electronics to disrupt or confuse enemy equipment rather than using bombs or missiles.
Born from Lessons of Recent Conflicts
Built on lessons acquired from actual conflicts, such as those in the Middle East and Ukraine, StormShroud is more than just a new device. In those conflicts, drones proved they can do more than just take pictures. They’ve helped troops, attacked targets, and protected aircraft.
The UK developed StormShroud as part of its Autonomous Collaborative Platforms (ACP) initiative. This approach places a strong emphasis on human-robot cooperation while on missions. To jam enemy radars and protect pilots, StormShroud collaborates with crewed aircraft such as the F-35B and Typhoon.
StormShroud may fly into high-risk areas where radar and missiles pose a threat because it is pilotless. It is less expensive to lose a drone than to endanger a human life. In comparison to fighter jets, it is also more economical and adaptable.
Now officially in use, StormShroud is part of real frontline missions, not just experiments. It marks a major step in how the RAF uses advanced technology to protect its skies. The UK isn’t alone — the US is working on a similar drone program to team up with its F-35s.
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StormShroud is the first in a new wave of unscrewed systems meant to fly with military jets and disrupt enemy defenses before they even know what’s coming.