Thales tests integration of Blaze interceptor and EchoShield radar with ForceShield UK
Still from a live feed of a Blaze interceptor UAV integrated with ForceShield UK prior to its strike against a target delta wing OWA UAV called Icarus by Purser Industries. (Thales)
Thales has conducted a demonstration using its ForceShield UK system integrated with Origin Robotics' Blaze interceptor unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) and Echodyne's EchoShield radar. The demonstration sought to show interception capabilities against long-range fixed-wing one way attack (OWA) UAVs, a Thales representative told Janes on 6 November 2026.
“It's about aligning the effector with the threat type,” the representative said, adding that a low-cost platform such as the Blaze interceptor could be deployed against an Iranian Shahed-136 OWA UAV. The representative declined to provide further details about the OWA UAV used in the demonstration. A Thales video posted in late October depicts the Blaze interceptor UAV conducting an impact engagement against a delta wing UAV with an airframe resembling that of the Iranian-developed Shahed-136 UAV. Russia designates its modified version of the Shahed-136, Geran-2.
Target UAV
The founder of UK-based Purser Industries, William Purser, said in an October social media post that the OWA UAV used in the demonstration with Thales was an Icarus target UAV. Purser Industries says it designs and manufactures “threat-representative target drones and counter-drone systems in the UK”. The company announced it had built the Icarus-2P at full scale to represent the Shahed-136/Geran-2 OWA UAV. The Icarus-2P has a 180 cc engine intended to achieve “real-world speeds”, has the capability to exceed the speed of 200 km/h, and an endurance of up to two hours, according to the manufacturer.
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