Simple Software Update Lets Soldiers Use Their Radios To Knock FPV Drones Out Of The Sky
Summary
L3Harris announced Wraith Shield, a software upgrade that turns fielded tactical radios into a distributed counter-drone electronic-warfare network capable of detecting, classifying, and disrupting FPV drone control links. The upgrade leverages DataShapes AI's GlobalEdge to process radio-frequency data at the tactical edge and present actionable detections to soldiers without cloud dependency. A group of up to 40 radios can coordinate simultaneous jamming today (engineers aim for 100 radios in a future update), and L3Harris positions the capability as a low-cost, body-worn layer in a broader, layered air-defense architecture. The first deployment targets the RF-9820S (AN/PRC-171) with more Wraith-capable radios planned, and while the company says interest is high, international sales still require U.S. export approval.