US Navy Installs DRAKE Counter-Drone Systems on Ohio-Class Submarines

The US Navy is installing the DRAKE counter-drone electronic warfare system aboard its Ohio-class guided-missile submarines, including the lead ship of the class, USS Ohio. The system, whose full name is Drone Restricted Access Using Known Electromagnetic Warfare, detects, identifies, tracks and neutralizes small drones through radiofrequency jamming, without resorting to conventional weapons such as missiles or projectiles.

DRAKE uses software-defined radio to scan the electromagnetic spectrum and identify small unmanned aerial vehicles. Once a threat is detected, operators can activate a jamming function that cuts off communication between the drone and its controller, preventing it from completing its mission. The system has limitations: it is not effective against drones operating autonomously, without relying on a continuous link to an operator, and its effectiveness varies depending on environmental conditions and the communications technology of each aircraft.

Manufacturer Northrop Grumman is modifying DRAKE's software and hardware based on feedback gathered from operational use. Michael Johnson, a fellow at the company, noted that one of the new features is an Android-based interface designed to make the system easier to operate, adding that units already deployed interact with drone systems and learn from those encounters. DRAKE became a Navy-approved program in April 2024, and in September of that same year the company secured a new production contract for the JCREW/DRAKE 2.0 variant. The DRAKE family includes mounted, portable and fixed-installation versions, and has been in use across the Navy's surface fleet since at least 2021.

USS Ohio is one of four Ohio-class submarines converted from ballistic-missile to guided-missile submarines (SSGN), capable of carrying up to 154 Tomahawk cruise missiles and conducting special operations. Although they remain concealed underwater, their exposure increases when surfacing or operating near coastlines and ports, where small drones can carry out surveillance tasks without the need for large-scale reconnaissance equipment. DRAKE gives crews an additional defensive tool, though it does not guarantee protection against every type of drone threat. The Navy has not disclosed which version of the system was installed on USS Ohio or its detection and jamming ranges.