Estonian defense company Frankenburg Technology recently unveiled a new micro-missile specifically designed to intercept and destroy invading drones. Named the "Mark 1," this rocket is 25 inches (65 cm) long and can be held in one hand. Despite its compact size, its design objective is clear – tailored to counter the increasing number of low-altitude, slow-speed drones, similar to those seen in the conflict in Ukraine and along European borders.

  The missile utilizes solid-fuel rocket propulsion and autonomous guidance technology, enabling it to quickly lock onto and engage drone models such as the Iranian-made "Shahed-131" and "Shahed-136."

Development Background

  Estonia developed this rocket to provide a rapid response to the increasingly frequent drone activities within NATO airspace. Since mid-2023, countries including Romania, Poland, and Belgium have detected and recorded drone incursions. A recent significant incident occurred on November 6th, when a drone was spotted near Brussels Airport, triggering an emergency response.

  Currently, NATO relies on fighter jets to intercept drones, a solution that is costly and inefficient, especially when compared to the inexpensive drones they are meant to counter. Frankenburg Technology CEO Kusti Salm emphasized that the Mark 1 is precisely the scalable, low-cost defense solution that Europe urgently needs.

  "We make no secret that this weapon was developed to shoot down invading long-range drones," stated Salm. "We do not apologize for manufacturing weapons and firmly believe this will be the most critically needed defense capability for the Western world in the next five to ten years."

Design Philosophy

  The compact design grants the missile unique advantages. The company revealed that the Mark 1 is not an all-weather, all-theater solution. Instead, it deliberately strikes a balance between low-cost components and acceptable performance, seeking a pragmatic compromise between price and precision.

  The company aims to increase the hit rate to 90%. However, current live-fire test results have been mixed: out of 53 recorded tests, only about half achieved the target reliability.

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Post time:Sep-25-2020