General Dynamics European Land Systems (GDELS) has demonstrated a new passive acoustic drone detection capability integrated onto the ASCOD tracked armoured fighting vehicle, highlighting its potential to provide early warning against first-person view (FPV) attack drones. The trial confirmed the system’s effectiveness in detecting low-signature aerial threats under realistic operational conditions. The solution, developed in cooperation with Microflown AVISA, is designated CASTLE and is based on a passive acoustic sensing architecture. The system was integrated across both manned and unmanned platforms, where it demonstrated consistent performance against non-commercial FPV drones operated by adversarial test teams under representative combat scenarios.
CASTLE employs a hardwired sub-array of four Acoustic Multi-Mission Sensors, supplemented by a weather station and software-defined radio to enable optional mesh networking. The passive nature of the system allows it to deliver real-time spatial localization of airborne threats without emitting signals that could increase the host vehicle’s detectability. The capability remains effective while the platform is in motion and under degraded visual conditions, including night operations, fog, and smoke-obscured environments. The system enhances situational awareness and enables faster engagement decisions, supporting the deployment of countermeasures in increasingly contested electromagnetic environments.
According to GDELS, Its passive design is particularly relevant in scenarios where electronic warfare activity may limit the effectiveness of conventional active detection systems. The demonstration represents a proof-of-concept milestone in counter-uncrewed aerial system (C-UAS) integration within manned-unmanned teaming constructs. It underscores growing emphasis on layered defensive solutions to counter proliferating FPV drone threats on the modern battlefield.
The ASCOD (Austrian Spanish Cooperation Development) family—developed through a joint programme between Austrian Steyr-Daimler-Puch AG and Spanish General Dynamics Santa Bárbara Sistemas—comprises a range of variants, including LT 105 light tank equipped with a 105 mm gun, a surface-to-air missile launcher, an anti-tank guided missile launcher, mortar carrier, R&R vehicle, command-and-control vehicle, ambulance, artillery observer and other mission-specific configurations. Both companies are now divisions of a unit of General Dynamics European Land Systems (GDELS). In Spanish service, the vehicle is called “Pizarro”. The Austrian version is called “Ulan”. ASCOD entered service with the Spanish and Austrian armies in 2002.
