TEL AVIV, Israel — Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) has introduced HYPNOSIS, a navigation warfare system designed to counter drone swarms and other Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS)-guided aerial threats using electronic warfare instead of direct kinetic interception.
The system has been developed as a "soft-kill" defense layer that disrupts and deceives satellite navigation signals used by drones and guided munitions. By targeting their navigation systems rather than destroying them with interceptor missiles, HYPNOSIS is intended to strengthen multi-layered air defense while reducing reliance on costly kinetic interceptors.
Designed to Counter Large Drone Swarms
Large-scale drone swarm attacks have become an increasing concern for military planners, as dozens or even hundreds of low-cost drones can be launched simultaneously against strategic infrastructure, military facilities, and critical civilian assets. Such attacks can overwhelm traditional missile-based air defense systems and rapidly consume interceptor stockpiles.
HYPNOSIS has been developed to address this challenge by disrupting the satellite navigation links that many modern drones rely on for positioning and guidance. Instead of engaging every incoming drone with a missile, the system interferes with their navigation, causing them to lose their intended flight path before reaching their targets.
How HYPNOSIS Works
The system exploits the dependence of many unmanned aerial systems and guided munitions on continuous GNSS data, including GPS and other satellite navigation constellations.
HYPNOSIS combines electronic jamming and spoofing techniques to interfere with navigation signals.
- Jamming blocks or overpowers satellite signals received by the drone.
- Spoofing transmits false navigation information, causing the drone to calculate an incorrect position or course.
Once these navigation signals are disrupted or replaced with false data, the affected drone can no longer accurately identify or reach its designated target. Rather than physically destroying incoming threats, the system neutralizes them by disrupting their navigation capabilities.
Networked and Autonomous Architecture
HYPNOSIS is built around a network of mobile jamming and spoofing stations that can be deployed around high-value locations, including military bases, energy infrastructure, air defense sites, and other strategic facilities.
These stations are connected to a central Command and Control (C2) center, which continuously analyzes incoming threats and coordinates the response across the network.
According to IAI, the system can operate autonomously, allowing the C2 center to detect, track, and respond to multiple threats approaching from different directions simultaneously. This machine-speed operation reduces the need for continuous manual operator intervention during high-volume drone attacks.
The mobility of the stations also allows operators to position the system according to operational requirements and the protection needs of specific locations.
Integration with Existing Air Defense Systems
HYPNOSIS is designed to complement existing multi-layered air defense architectures rather than replace traditional hard-kill systems.
The system can be integrated with radar networks, electro-optical sensors, command-and-control systems, and kinetic interceptor systems, allowing operators to combine electronic warfare with conventional air defense measures.
By neutralizing a significant number of incoming threats electronically, military forces can preserve interceptor missiles for drones or missiles that are not affected by electronic countermeasures. This approach helps improve the efficiency of air defense operations while reducing the cost of defending against large numbers of low-cost aerial threats.
Strategic Role in Modern Air Defense
The increasing use of commercial and military drones in recent conflicts has highlighted the need for additional layers of protection beyond traditional interceptor-based systems. Large drone swarms can saturate missile defenses, making electronic warfare an increasingly important component of modern air defense strategies.
HYPNOSIS provides a non-kinetic option that focuses on disrupting navigation rather than physically destroying incoming threats. When used alongside radar, surveillance systems, and interceptor missiles, it adds another layer of protection for military installations, energy infrastructure, air defense sites, and other critical assets.
Navigation warfare technologies such as jamming and spoofing are gaining importance as many unmanned aerial systems continue to rely on satellite-based positioning and timing for accurate navigation. By targeting these signals, defense forces can reduce the effectiveness of GNSS-guided threats while conserving interceptor missiles for more complex or higher-priority targets.
The introduction of HYPNOSIS reflects the broader trend toward integrated, networked, and layered air defense systems that combine detection, electronic warfare, and kinetic interception to counter evolving aerial threats, particularly the growing use of low-cost, mass-produced drones.
Source : calcalistech
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