Mehler Protection has introduced SCILT, a new close-range system designed to protect military vehicles from drone attacks. The company presented the technology for the first time at the Enforce Tac 2026 exhibition in Germany.
The system acts as a last line of defence for individual vehicles against small drones that appear suddenly from low angles. It targets the growing threat of FPV drones, kamikaze drones, and loitering munitions that standard air-defence systems often miss.
Mehler Protection, a German defence technology company, developed SCILT specifically to fill a critical gap in vehicle protection. The system addresses the dangerous moment when drones emerge from terrain, ditches, or behind the vehicle with almost no warning time.
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Traditional mobile air-defence systems struggle to detect and stop drones attacking from very close range and low angles. SCILT solves this problem by creating a protective bubble around each vehicle, engaging threats that other systems cannot reach in time.
The system works by combining sensors and effectors directly mounted on the vehicle. It includes electro-optical sensors and other close-range surveillance tools that help detect incoming drones and support operator decisions. The system can engage threats from the sides, front, and low angles.
SCILT is designed to handle both single drone attacks and multiple simultaneous threats in the immediate danger zone. Military units can scale the system based on their mission needs using cost-effective effector solutions. This makes it practical for different types of operations and vehicle configurations.
The current version focuses on land vehicles and the close-range engagement envelope. While it effectively stops drones approaching from short distances, it works as part of a layered defence approach rather than replacing longer-range air-defence systems.
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The system represents a shift in how militaries think about protecting vehicles from drones. As small drones become more common on battlefields, having a dedicated last layer of protection could save both vehicles and lives during surprise attacks.
