So how do Armed Forces rapidly respond to emerging drone threats as their adversary’s tactics, techniques and procedures change weekly or even daily?

The key is to establish a comprehensive, layered defence comprising different sensors and effectors. For this to be possible at the pace that modern operations demand, a C-UAS ecosystem such as Leonardo’s Falcon Shield must be based on open architecture – rapidly integrating the best and latest technologies to stay ahead of evolving threats, successfully detecting, tracking, identifying and defeating hostile drones.

This ‘integration advantage’ starts with Command and Control (C2). Leonardo’s C2 system is designed to generate capacity for operators – prioritising the most potent threats they are facing, advising on the most appropriate means of defeating a threat, and ultimately providing them with the most amount of decision-making time possible.

With a comprehensive, layered defence operators are shown threats at range, in order of priority, verified by multiple sensors – including electrooptical and infrared sensors such as Leonardo’s Nerio surveillance and threat acquisition system – which provides unrivalled high-resolution imagery at considerable distance.

Operators are then shown a list of available countermeasures and are advised on the most appropriate effector to select. This can include soft kill or non-kinetic effectors, including Radio Frequency jammers or cyber takeover systems, as well as hard kill or kinetic effectors such as interceptor drones or projectiles.

Layered protection is the best way of keeping personnel, critical assets and infrastructure safe. But our adversaries do not stand still – constantly changing and adapting their tactics, techniques and procedures to push every C-UAS capability to its limits. This is why having an integration advantage is so important.

Historically, the battle between countermeasures and counter-countermeasures is one that has taken place over months and years. It’s now days, or even hours. Operating a C-UAS ecosystem forged on open architecture means that integrating a new sensor or effector is also possible in days, or even hours. To be successful, this requires deep cooperation and trust between Armed Forces and industry.

The UK Ministry of Defence published the SAPIENT standard, which stands for ‘Sensing for Asset Protection with Integrated Electronic Networked Technology’. In simple terms, it is an open software standard which aims to reduce operator workload by using autonomy and Artificial Intelligence (AI). At its core, the architecture encourages and enables the ability to plug-and-play complementary modules, reducing the time it takes to integrate systems while creating an interconnected ecosystem that communicates in the same way.

NATO has also adopted the SAPIENT standard. At a recent Technical Interoperability Exercise (TIE), Falcon Shield’s C2 system came out on top after integrating with 46 new ‘sense, effect and C2 edge nodes’ – essentially integrating new complementary systems seamlessly into its C-UAS ecosystem. This rapid and seamless integration is exactly what will be required to defeat emerging drone threats on the battlefield, strengthened by the relationships between defence and industry.

The C-UAS team at Leonardo has been working in partnership with armed forces’ operators since 2012. These relationships are crucial – with feedback from operators who are detecting, tracking, identifying and defeating drones for real.

Ultimately, success depends on how quickly Armed Forces and industry adapt as threats evolves. Open architecture gives commanders that flexibility, integrating new sensors, effectors and decision-support tools at operational pace rather than on traditional procurement timelines. This is the integration advantage: a continually evolving ecosystem that brings together the best of industry, the experience of operators and the technologies needed to stay one step ahead.

To address this evolving threat landscape, Leonardo has significantly expanded its investment in advanced Counter-Uncrewed Aerial Systems (C-UAS) technologies, developing a comprehensive portfolio that covers the entire operational chain—from detection and tracking to identification and defeat. These multi-domain, interoperable capabilities are based on an open architecture, enabling seamless integration with third-party systems and existing assets.

Multi-Domain Falcon Shield C-UAS (hereinafter abbreviated to “Falcon Shield”) is Leonardo’s operationally-proven C-UAS ecosystem, available in fixed, containerised and mobile configurations. Since entering service with the Royal Air Force in 2018, the UK military version of Falcon Shield called Orcus has protected deployed forces on operations, critical infrastructure and high-profile events. This system is also in use by the Italian Armed Forces, where it is known as ACUS-E, and by the Canadian Armed Forces. Discussions are also underway with other international customers, demonstrating the system’s maturity and adaptability across a wide range of operational scenarios worldwide.

Effective counter-drone operations begin with timely detection. Leonardo combines complementary sensing technologies to maximise situational awareness. The Nerio family electro-optical and infrared system delivers long-range visual detection, tracking and identification with exceptional precision—a capability that both UK and Italian Ministries of Defence have described as “world-leading”. Alongside it, the Tactical Multi-Mission Radar (TMMR), a compact software-defined AESA C-band radar, detects and tracks small, fast-moving and highly manoeuvrable aerial targets even in challenging environments. Furthermore, a passive sensing technologies complete the detection Leonardo’s portfolio.

Detection, however, is only the first step. Defeating increasingly sophisticated drones requires a layered mix of non-kinetic and kinetic effectors. Leonardo’s Guardian RF (Radio Frequency) Directed Energy Weapon disrupts command-and-control links while denying access to the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS), effectively preventing hostile drones from completing their mission.

Where kinetic engagement is required, Leonardo leverages decades of expertise in air-defence through technologies such as Hystrix, a reactive, multi-layered system that can operate independently or as part of a broader ground-based air-defence architecture. Hystrix incorporates proven technologies derived from Leonardo’s naval systems—including the 76/62 Overdeck, Marlin 40 and 30 mm weapon systems—adapted to provide highly effective land-based protection. Hystrix includes the new Leonardo 30mm X-Gun, a compact, lightweight, ITAR-free and mechanically fed weapon system designed to be highly effective against a wide range of asymmetric threats, also thanks to the integration of air-burst munitions and ammunition with programmable fuses.

The company’s portfolio also reflects the growing importance of directed-energy technologies. Leonardo’s Laser Directed Energy Weapon (LDEW) offers a precise and scalable solution for defeating mini and micro UAS at ranges beyond one kilometre, complementing traditional kinetic effectors while reducing the cost per engagement.

Bringing these capabilities together is Leonardo’s advanced Command and Control (C2) system, the digital backbone of the entire C-UAS SAPIENT compliant architecture. Developed in close cooperation with operational users, it fuses data from multiple sensors, coordinates engagement activities in real time and presents operators with an intuitive operational picture that supports rapid and informed decision-making. The system is complemented by SkyTender, a mission planning and assessment tool that simulates operational scenarios, sensors, effectors and threats to optimise deployment and mission effectiveness before operations even begin.

Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning are increasingly central to this architecture. By enhancing target detection, improving classification and supporting threat evaluation and weapon assignment, AI enables faster and more effective responses to complex operational scenarios. Human operators, however, remain firmly in control of the engagement process, ensuring that technology augments—rather than replaces—human decision-making.

As unmanned systems continue to evolve, so too must the technologies designed to defeat them. In a battlespace where adaptation has become the defining characteristic of modern conflict, the ability to integrate sensors, effectors and decision-support tools into a single, coherent architecture is no longer simply an advantage—it is rapidly becoming an operational necessity.