AnGard Microwave: Dutch High-Power Microwave Systems for Counter-Drone Defense
European defense planners are increasingly concerned about small, unmanned systems threatening critical infrastructure and military operations. AnGard Microwave is a Dutch deep-tech spin-off from the University of Twente and TNO that addresses this challenge with novel high-power microwave (HPM) amplifiers. Their founders, Anton Atanasov and Jasmine Sharifa Szimanneck, have developed portable electronic-warfare payloads that can be drone-mounted and used to jam or spoof hostile drones, causing them to land safely[1]. For advanced threats — such as fiber-optic or AI-controlled UAVs — the company is innovating a directional HPM emitter that projects a focused electromagnetic pulse to overload and disable the drone’s electronics at range[2]. This technology is rugged and swarm-capable, exploiting microwaves’ resilience in field conditions where high-energy lasers might fail[3]. AnGard Microwave represents a European effort to field cutting-edge counter-drone capabilities, potentially offering a homegrown alternative to existing systems. Its emergence prompts strategic questions: Can it enhance European deterrence by adding new layered defenses against unmanned threats? Does it reduce reliance on extra-EU technology suppliers? This report analyzes those questions, assessing AnGard’s role in Europe’s defense technology landscape and strategic autonomy goals.