The US had Predator drones and other large drones with sidewinder missiles and other missiles for quite a while.
Smaller and cheaper quadcopter drones have had machine guns and grenade launchers mounted on them with stabilization systems.
Drone Swarms launched
In Jan 2017, US F-18 fighter jets releasing a swarm of Perdix micro-UAV swarm during a Naval Air Systems Command’s demonstration held at China Lake, California. Measured at just six inches, the micro drones are capable of confusing enemy defenses and blocking radar signals. The drones are not pre-programmed synchronized individuals, but a collective organism, sharing one distributed brain for decision-making and adapting to each other like swarms in nature. Consisted of 103 Perdix micro drones, this is the largest-ever test for the cutting-edge swarm technology.
Antidrone net launchers
Radiowave and other jamming systems are being developed to disable drone electronics.
Israel has a high end anti drone jamming system. The US air force purchased one for $15 million.
There are also systems for launching small anti-drone missiles.
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Has anyone looked at using some sort of small scale EMP to burn out the electronics of the drones?
It would be something of a desperation move since it would wreck your own electronics, but maybe something of the sort could be made very directional.
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“Drone Guard” is a good example of the problem: $15M to counter a $150-$1500 drone. Will it still work when attacked by 10,000 to 100,000 drones?
And note – that particular anti-drone system relies on jamming GPS and/or radio control – making itself a very bright EM target. No need for GPS when your target lights up like a beacon.
Tactical drones dont need GPS or radio control, camera vision is enough to determine position.
What the US is using in their hawks is aged technology. Depending on their mission they wont require Radio contact, simple swarm math is allready enough to create complex behaviour like ants and birds. Again here vision is enough to maintain distance if released in swarm, knowing ones place in the swarm would also determine role in the swarm. (ea border defense of group, center for target attack)
Source for AIM-9s on Reapers or other drones? I can’t find any. They are testing the AIM-92 (Stinger) for the Reaper, but no mention of loading AIM-9s on Reapers or any other drone yet.