WASHINGTON — Defense electronics maker L3Harris is equipping its widely used Falcon IV handheld radios with a new electronic warfare capability, designed to create a personal protective “bubble” for soldiers. This development comes as small drones continue to cause significant losses on battlefields like Ukraine.
Named Wraith Shield, this enhancement requires only a software upgrade to the existing Wraith communications waveform, not new hardware. It is compatible with over 100,000 Falcon IV radios currently in service worldwide. Chris Aebli, tactical communications director, explained that this counter-UAS protection can be integrated into existing radios for a software upgrade cost in the “single digit thousands of dollars.”
Aebli confirmed the system is ready for delivery, although international sales are contingent on US government export approval. He noted substantial interest domestically and internationally, with several customers prepared to make purchases soon, despite no formal orders placed yet. He suggested that the US Army might initially acquire the software as a radio upgrade, potentially by reallocating electronic warfare funds to one of its radio program offices.
L3Harris and its partner DataShapes AI, responsible for training the system’s AI algorithms, are leveraging the inherent digital intelligence of modern “software-defined” radios (SDRs). These versatile devices inherently blur the lines between traditional military walkie-talkies, civilian mobile phones, and specialized electronic warfare equipment.
The Falcon radio, running the Wraith waveform—which was developed between 2022 and 2023 with significant input from Ukraine—already scans airwaves, identifies friendly Wraith-users, establishes a local ad hoc network, and transmits signals. Wraith Shield expands on this by identifying enemy drone control signals, sharing this intelligence across the local network, and coordinating all connected radios to broadcast “white noise” on the same channel. This action effectively scrambles the control signal. Depending on the drone’s specific programming, a lost control link could cause it to orbit aimlessly, automatically return to base, or crash.
Currently, Wraith Shield can orchestrate simultaneous jamming from up to 40 Falcon radios, sufficient for an infantry platoon. L3Harris engineers, however, plan to increase this capacity to 100 radios in a future update. The system can also transmit detected drone threat data to command posts or more powerful counter-drone systems.
Aebli and other executives stressed that Wraith Shield is not a standalone solution for all unmanned threats but is most effective as part of a layered defense strategy. Critically, it introduces a new level of protection that individual soldiers presently lack.
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