German SCILT System Shields Armored Vehicles From Drones Using Interceptors

Mehler Protection unveiled SCILT, a modular active protection system to shield armored vehicles from drones by firing counter-munitions.

“According to the company, uncrewed aerial systems increasingly approach not only from above but also from terrain, ditches, flanks and rear sectors”

Defence Industry Europe

The system provides 360-degree coverage including top-attack, using modular units with built-in threat detection.

Defence Industry Europe

SCILT fills the gap between large-scale air defense and passive armor, acting as the final layer of protection for individual vehicles.

Militar Aktuell described SCILT as able to neutralize drones at around 25 meters.

Defence Industry Europe detailed that SCILT combines effector modules, sensors, and operating logic directly on the vehicle.

SCILT is designed to counter immediate close-in attack envelopes with minimal reaction time.

The system can defeat both single and multiple simultaneous threats within the immediate hazard zone.

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It features three alarm levels: detection, proximity, and trigger.

Sensor kits may include electro-optical and other close-range surveillance sensors.

SCILT builds on Mehler Protection's experience across land, air, and sea domains.

SCILT operates with a man-in-the-loop architecture, with further automation planned.

“At Enforce Tac 2026, Mehler Protection is presenting SCILT, a newly developed close-range protection system designed to defend against drones, for the first time”

Militär Aktuell

Effector modules use commercially available standard shotgun-calibre ammunition.

The system is controlled via a vehicle data bus and can be integrated into existing architectures.

SCILT can be installed on all platforms from all-wheel drive vehicles to tanks.

It provides a dedicated final protective layer optimized for terrain DDR.