DEFEA 2025: Israel’s Rafael Unveils New Counter-Drone Air Defense System Designed for Light Tactical Vehicles.

At DEFEA 2025, an international defense exhibition held in Athens, Israel’s Rafael Advanced Defense Systems unveiled a state-of-the-art mobile Counter-Unmanned Aerial System (C-UAS) mounted on the Plasan StormRider 4×4 tactical armored vehicle. This unveiling marks a significant leap in mobile force protection capabilities, combining advanced detection, soft-kill electronic warfare, and hard-kill kinetic effectors into a compact, high-mobility platform. The integration of these technologies addresses the rapidly evolving threat posed by unmanned aerial systems (UAS), a challenge that has come into sharp focus with the intensified use of drones in modern conflicts such as the ongoing war in Ukraine.
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Rafael’s newly unveiled mobile Counter-UAS system integrated on a Plasan StormRider 4×4 armored vehicle, showcased for the first time at DEFEA 2025 in Athens, designed to protect tactical units against modern drone threats with layered soft- and hard-kill technologies. (Picture source: Army Recognition Group)

Rafael’s solution offers a layered defense architecture built to counter low-altitude aerial threats faced by maneuvering tactical units. The system begins with comprehensive detection and situational awareness. Four radar sensors, positioned at each corner of the vehicle’s roof, provide continuous 360-degree surveillance. These feed real-time data into a central computer system, which then coordinates with an electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) tracking unit housed within the turret. This integration creates a seamless sensor-to-effector chain, enabling autonomous identification, tracking, and engagement of aerial threats even while the vehicle is on the move.

The C-UAS suite is designed with both soft-kill and hard-kill options. The first line of defense is an advanced SIGINT (Signal Intelligence) electronic warfare system. This suite not only identifies communication signals between a drone and its operator but also traces the origin of these signals, effectively locating the drone pilot. Such capability enables forces to disrupt control links via spoofing or jamming, neutralizing drones without physical engagement. When required, this information can also be used to cue kinetic action against the operator using Rafael’s Spike missile system—disabling the enemy’s capability to launch further attacks.

When kinetic intervention becomes necessary, the system transitions to its hard-kill elements. Chief among these is the M230 Bushmaster Chain Gun, a 30mm low-recoil automatic cannon capable of firing 30×113mm airburst munitions. These specialized rounds are engineered to detonate mid-air at predefined distances, unleashing a cloud of high-velocity fragments designed to destroy or disable UAS targets. This makes the system particularly effective against drones operating in swarms or at varying altitudes. Integration with the radar and EO/IR sensors allows for precise targeting and engagement, enhancing survivability in contested environments.

To complement the 30mm cannon, Rafael has also integrated SpearUAV’s Viper I interceptor drone—a critical innovation in "drone-on-drone" warfare. Deployed from a four-canister launcher mounted on the vehicle’s side, the Viper I is an autonomous, AI-powered interceptor equipped with high-speed propulsion and a lethal payload. It is capable of rapid vertical launch and mid-air maneuvering, allowing it to intercept enemy drones at extended ranges. The Viper I offers a versatile hard-kill solution, particularly useful in engaging high-speed, evasive, or loitering munitions that are harder to track and target using conventional gun systems. Its top-attack profile and precision strike capability significantly boost the tactical effectiveness of the vehicle’s counter-drone suite.

The unveiling of this system comes at a time when the importance of robust C-UAS defenses has never been more evident. The conflict in Ukraine has profoundly reshaped military thinking around drones. Both Russian and Ukrainian forces have deployed thousands of UAVs for tasks ranging from ISR (intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance) to precision strikes and kamikaze attacks. The scale and variety of drone threats have highlighted the vulnerabilities of even advanced militaries when confronted with cost-effective, rapidly deployable UAS technologies. This reality has driven urgent demand for adaptable, mobile counter-drone systems capable of defending both static and mobile units.

Rafael’s integrated C-UAS on the Plasan StormRider addresses this need head-on. It provides a real-time, layered, and mobile solution capable of neutralizing a broad spectrum of aerial threats. Its combination of soft-kill EW tools, kinetic guns, and AI-enabled interceptors reflects a holistic approach to force protection that aligns with emerging battlefield realities. For ground forces operating in high-threat environments, where drone usage is pervasive and persistent, systems like this are no longer a luxury—they are a necessity. As modern warfare continues to evolve, the integration of such technologies will be pivotal in maintaining tactical superiority and safeguarding mission-critical operations.