Directed energy, remote weapon stations: EOS unveils their antidote to drone swarms

Defence Connect | Special Report: Outpacing the drone threat: revolutionising air defence

The battlefield has changed – ever since the dawn of drone warfare. In just three years since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the rapid proliferation of cheap, mass-produced drones has transformed the modern battlespace, forcing militaries and defence companies to rethink doctrine and develop new solutions to counter this emerging threat.

Historically, aerial warfare was dominated by high-value platforms – fighter jets, attack helicopters
and large, expensive drones like the multimillion dollar MQ-9 Reaper. The primary countermeasure? Missiles and rockets. But the shift towards low-cost drone swarms has rendered these traditional defences inefficient, unscalable and unsustainable.

“With the rise of small, inexpensive drones in large quantities, using high-cost missiles for defence became obsolete,” says Dr Andreas Schwer, CEO of Australian defence technology company Electro Optic Systems (EOS). “A new approach was needed.”

Drone swarms: Tomorrow’s battlefield
As drone warfare has evolved, countermeasures have been struggling to keep pace. The ability to detect, identify and neutralise threats within seconds have become paramount.

“The first wave of small drones appeared in limited numbers,” Schwer says. “Now, they are being deployed in massive swarms, targeting ground forces and infrastructure. Traditional air defence systems – missiles, rockets and electronic warfare – are struggling to keep up.”

Electronic warfare, once a key defence, is becoming less effective as drones are designed to operate independently, without reliance on external signals that can be jammed or spoofed. In response, kinetic countermeasures have once again taken centre stage.

EOS’ first solution: The Slinger
To meet this challenge, EOS developed the Slinger, a remote weapon station designed to counter
drone threats with unmatched speed and precision.

“The Slinger is an evolution of our highly successful R400 remote weapon station, known for its extreme accuracy and high probability of a first-hit kill,” Schwer says. “Against drones, where the engagement window is only a few seconds, precision is everything.”

The system seamlessly integrates into broader air defence networks, leveraging radar and sensor data for autonomous targeting. Once an enemy drone is detected, the Slinger locks on and eliminates the target within seconds.

“In a fully automated set-up, the Slinger connects to surveillance radars, receives target information and instantly engages. Once locked on, it operates independently, ensuring rapid response times,” Schwer says. “For operations without radar support, it can still function effectively using onboard electro-optical and acoustic sensors.”

The Slinger is already proving its value in Ukraine, where it has been deployed to defend critical infrastructure, including missile bases and radar stations near Kyiv.

The game-changer: High energy laser weapons
While kinetic solutions like the Slinger remain crucial, EOS is also pioneering directed energy weapons as the future of counter-drone warfare. The appeal is simple: cost effectiveness, speed and the ability to store enough energy for thousands of shots in a simple battery.

“Let’s break it down,” Schwer says to Defence Connect. “Shooting down a drone with a missile costs between $500,000 and $1 million. A rocket? About $15,000 to $25,000. A cannon round? Around $150. But a laser shot? Just $1.”

EOS’ laser system can neutralise drones at distances of two to three kilometres within seconds. “A 100-kilowatt laser can take down a drone in two to three seconds,” Schwer says. “It then readjusts in half a second and moves on to the next target. Within a minute, it can eliminate up to 20 drones.”

It becomes even more attractive when considering how energy efficient the platform is, giving it the ability to engage hundreds – if not thousands – of targets with its battery solution.

“If you talk about an installation in an 8x8 infantry fighting vehicle, you can have more energy stored than what you need to kill 200 drones,” he says. “If you talk about a containerised solution, to protect infrastructure, for example, you can talk about thousands of engagements.”

Though the threat isn’t just limited to the front lines. Inexpensive drones are increasingly being used to target high-value civilian and military infrastructure.

“It’s not just battlefield defence,” Schwer says. “Our systems are also deployed to protect key sites from drone attacks – missile bases, radar stations and other critical infrastructure. Some of the most valuable assets have been taken out by $2,000 drones.”

The global demand for counter-drone innovation
The rapid evolution of drone warfare has created an urgent demand for effective countermeasures. EOS, while headquartered in Australia, operates across the world, with the majority of its clients based overseas.

“Our main operations are in Australia, but 70–80 per cent of our business comes from international clients,” Schwer has told Defence Connect.

As drone warfare continues to evolve, the need for innovative, cost-effective and scalable countermeasures will only grow. With solutions like the Slinger and advanced laser systems, EOS is positioning itself at the forefront of this new era – where speed, precision and adaptability define success on the battlefield.

Read the full report here.