Defense establishment prepares for the next battlefield threat: SIM-card operated drones
MAFAT has issued a call for proposals to detect drones operated via cellular networks. This new threat bypasses traditional jamming measures, offering a range of thousands of kilometers, but its reliance on civilian infrastructure may prove to be its Achilles' heel.
The defense establishment was caught unprepared for Hezbollah's fiber-optic drones, but this is not the most challenging technology emerging from the Russia-Ukraine war. In this combat arena, the use of drones guided by cellular networks is gaining momentum. Against this backdrop, the Directorate of Defense Research and Development (MAFAT) at the Ministry of Defense published a call for proposals in this field this week.
"MAFAT invites you to submit Requests for Information (RFI) and Requests for Demonstration (RFD) for the detection and localization of drones based on cellular networks," the message stated. "Solutions must provide an operational, mobile response adapted to the dynamic characteristics of maneuvering forces in hostile territory." The concern regarding these drones stems from their advantages over both radio frequency (RF) and fiber-guided drones.
The challenge of jamming and interception
Against RF drones, electronic warfare measures like jamming or spoofing are effective. While fiber-optic drones are immune to these, their range is limited by the weight of the cable. Countermeasures against them, such as barbed wire to sever the fiber or shotguns, are already in use in southern Lebanon.
"Drones are among the most modular weapons on the modern battlefield," explains Ido Nir, an electro-optics engineer and defense-tech researcher. "Terrorist organizations produce them in workshops, constantly improving them. In June, the IDF exposed an underground facility in southern Lebanon where components were found in various stages of assembly."
The cellular network revolution
Unlike RF or fiber drones, cellular-guided drones use SIM cards to connect to civilian networks, enabling communication with the operator over thousands of kilometers. This technology is currently being used in the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
Hezbollah's use of fiber-optic FPV drones was initially challenging, but the implementation of technologies by MAFAT, led by Dr. Danny Gold, has drastically reduced their lethality. However, cellular drones present a new hurdle. Their range and lethality are limited only by payload capacity, and 4G/5G networks allow for real-time video transmission.
From advantage to vulnerability
Ido Nir notes that the cellular connection may also be the drone's weak point. "'Stingray' type systems, which simulate a cellular antenna, can assist in identifying and localizing cellular devices. Algorithms can distinguish between a regular phone and an airborne modem with 95% to 99% accuracy."
