A Rheinmetall system for combating drones at ultra-close range has been demonstrated at a joint exercise with representatives of the US Army Central Command and the Saudi Arabian Armed Forces. The Red Sands III exercise took place in September 2024 in extreme conditions of the Saudi Arabian desert and Rheinmetall shared details of the event in a December 18 press release. The exercise was preceded by successful qualification tests, which took place in the United States in the summer of 2024.
Rheinmetall’s ultra Short-Range Air Defence (SHORAD) system, which was part of the exercise, has an engagement range from 50 to 800 m. The Mission Master XT uncrewed ground system (UGS) serves as the carrier platform. Developed by Rheinmetall Canada, the system consists of the Rheinmetall Fieldranger Multi remote-controlled weapon station with a twin Dillon Aero M134D minigun, a radar, an electronic optics package and an artificial intelligence (AI)-based target acquisition and tracking system.
“In the final phase of Red Sands III, five challenging scenarios were set up to simulate real-world threats,” the company said. “In all scenarios, participants’ capabilities were assessed against Group 2 and 3 multi-rotor drones as well as Group 3 fixed-wing aircraft.” The company added that Rheinmetall’s ultra SHORAD system scored hits on all drones and successfully neutralised every multirotor drone on the first pass.
The system’s AI-driven tracker is designed to detect and classify drones long before they are engaged, even in dusty conditions and poor visibility. In addition to the desert conditions of Saudi Arabia, the system was also tested at Fort Drum, US, in high humidity and heavy rain.
Rheinmetall said the exercise provided a valuable platform for assessing and refining systems in real-world scenarios.
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