Active Protection Systems Fail to Stop Fiber Optic Drones in Lebanon

By Jeremy Hsu · Ars Technica · 2026-08-18

Ars Technica reports that specialized defensive equipment on Israeli Merkava 4 tanks struggled to detect and intercept small quadcopters during recent combat operations. These explosive-laden drones utilize physical fiber optic cables to remain immune to electronic jamming, rende

Ars Technica reports that specialized defensive equipment on Israeli Merkava 4 tanks struggled to detect and intercept small quadcopters during recent combat operations. These explosive-laden drones utilize physical fiber optic cables to remain immune to electronic jamming, rende