A swarm of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) targeted the Hellenic Navy frigate (HS) Psara and a commercial vessel under its protection in the early hours of Sunday, June 14, in the Gulf of Aden, according to reports.
The elite crew of the Greek warship successfully neutralized the drone swarm, believed to have been launched by Iran-backed Houthi rebels operating in Yemen, by employing an advanced anti-drone system, in line with the rules of engagement. One drone was downed, while the rest were repelled.
This marks the second instance within days that the Psara, which is part of the EU’s EUNAVFOR ASPIDES mission aimed at safeguarding shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, has effectively countered such drone attacks, either destroying or dispersing them away from their intended targets.
Following this incident, the Hellenic Navy announced that the frigate continues its mission without interruption.
During the encounter, the anti-drone system, developed domestically by the Hellenic Aerospace Industry, performed impeccably, identifying the drones from a greater distance than in a similar incident the previous Sunday, the same reports stated.
The operation was again a “soft kill”, with no shots fired. Electromagnetic waves are used to sever the drones’ communication with their operators, resulting in one drone crashing into the sea far from the frigate and posing no risk to the crew.
Operators of the remaining drones, upon witnessing the downing, altered their course and possibly returned to launch sites in the strife-plagued country.
