IDEX 2021: MBDA launches Sky Warden C-UAS system.

MBDA, a world leader in air defence solutions, is launching Sky Warden – the new flagship system to counter unmanned aerial systems (C-UAS).

Sky Warden utilises a networked eco-system of constantly evolving sensors and effectors, drawn from MBDA’s wide experience in air defence and effects management, to match the UAS threat (Picture source: MBDA)

The Sky Warden system manages the full C-UAS kill chain from detection to neutralisation and is designed to operate both as an integrated component in a layered air defence architecture, or in a stand-alone configuration. Sky Warden can be vehicle mounted or dismounted.

The modern C-UAS threat is varied, rapidly evolving, and poses a multiplying number of complex scenarios that require defending against. This means there is no single sensor or effector that can meet the modern or future C-UAS requirement. Instead Sky Warden utilises a networked eco-system of constantly evolving sensors and effectors, drawn from MBDA’s wide experience in air defence and effects management, to match the UAS threat.

Being modular, scaleable, and evolvable, Sky Warden is able to effectively and appropriately neutralise all classes of UAV, from small Class 1 micro-UAVs to large tactical UAVs, as well as other traditional air threats.
At its core is a command and control (C2) system that performs effects management – co-ordinating this eco-system of sensors, soft-kill effectors, and hard-kill effectors to defend armed forces units or sensitive sites across a large protection perimeter.

Sky Warden utilises operationally-proven building blocks within a modular open architecture that can be adapted to end-user requirements or to plug and play emerging and future novel sensing and effector technologies. MBDA C-UAS solutions have already been successfully demonstrated to customers.

Eric Béranger, CEO of MBDA, said: “As Europe’s leading air defence provider, MBDA is uniquely able to offer customers a proven, flexible and integrated C-UAS system. One that is available today, and can evolve into the future. Sky Warden embodies MBDA’s deep knowledge of the engagement process, systems integration, of all categories of effectors and their next evolutions, and of effects management in the air defence domain.”