The Italian Army has tested a new handheld anti-drone jammer during the Prometo 2020 exercise held at the Foce Verde proving ground by the Counter Mini/Micro Remotely Piloted Aircraft Center of Excellence (CM/M APR).
The purpose of the exercise was to train air defense operators and evaluate emerging technologies designed to counter unmanned aerial threats.
One of the systems tested was the WATSON jammer, a handheld, long-range, multiband device developed by the Italian defense firm CPM.
According to the company, the WATSON is designed for ease of use and mobility, capable of disrupting unmanned aerial systems using up to 15 frequency bands. It targets the most common control and navigation links, including GNSS and other emerging frequency ranges.
The jammer can operate independently or as part of a larger counter-UAS ecosystem, such as CPM’s GUARD-ONE system. When integrated with radar and command-and-control systems, WATSON can be guided to a target using real-time alerts and augmented reality support.
The exercise reflects the growing urgency among European armed forces to field effective and mobile counter-drone solutions.