The US Navy is deploying DRAKE counter-drone electronic warfare systems aboard its Ohio-class guided-missile submarines (SSGNs) including class lead boat USS Ohio.
Separately, manufacturer Northrop Grumman is updating the system's software and hardware based on operational feedback. Michael Johnson, a Northrop Grumman fellow, said recently that one recent upgrade is an Android interface intended to make the system easier to operate.
"As they [DRAKE systems] are deployed, they are interacting with the UAS systems and learning from them," Johnson said.
DRAKE, or Drone Restricted Access Using Known Electromagnetic Warfare, is a software-defined radio electronic countermeasures system that detects, identifies, tracks and defeats small drones.
Northrop Grumman described its effect as non-kinetic, with selective radio frequency jamming used to terminate the link between a drone and its operator.
"They [operators] can monitor those drones and either or turn on jamming or not depending on the situation," added Johnson.
The DRAKE family includes mounted, dismounted and fixed site versions for use afloat and ashore. It became a US Navy program of record in April 2024, and Northrop Grumman received a follow-on production contract for JCREW/DRAKE 2.0 in September of that year.
The system has been in use across the US Navy surface fleet from as early as 2021.