A quadcopter (illustration)
Photo: IDF Spokesperson's Unit
IDF acquires device for quadcopter interception
New US-manufactured rifle successfully intercepts two quadcopters with flammable materials and ignition mechanisms attached to them; several such devices are currently at the disposal of IDF forces in the Gaza region.
The IDF has recently acquired a new device that can intercept explosive quadcopters flown from the Gaza Strip into Israel—an ever-growing problem that requires an urgent solution, according to military officials.
Only two weeks ago, two quadcopters with flammable materials and ignition mechanisms attached to them were successfully intercepted.
The rifle is manufactured in the United States and special training is required in order to operate it. Several such devices are currently at the disposal of the IDF forces in the Gaza region.
(Photo: IDF Spokesperson's Unit)
The security officials’ assessment is that the drone phenomenon is gaining pace and requires a solution as soon as possible. In the near future, more devices of similar capabilities might be distributed among the relevant military personnel.
One security official said, “There is no doubt the drone threat is step above the kite phenomenon which we’re dealing with on a daily basis.
“If a drone with flammable substances or explosive devices attached to it were to land in a residential area, it would be no less dangerous and deadly than a rocket or a mortar shell,” he asserted.
“I believe we are at a threshold of a new phenomenon, which we need to find an answer to before it’s too late. We shouldn’t be indifferent to this threat like we were 20 years ago when they started firing rockets at Sderot and the Gaza border region,” concluded the official.
