Posted on 01/22/2024 7:02:23 PM PST by Red Badger
Defense contractor Raytheon has been tasked with designing, building, and testing a pair of directed energy weapons for the U.S. Navy and U.S. Air Force. Unlike cutting-edge laser systems that use the power of light to down airborne threats, the new weapons will use ultra-powerful microwave emitters to fry the electronics of attacking drones, missiles, and other electronically guided ordinance.
According to RTX Corporation, which owns Raytheon, the two prototypes are expected to be delivered in 2024 and 2026, respectively.
DIRECTED ENERGY WEAPONS INCREASINGLY VALUABLE IN ASYMMETRICAL WARFARE Traditional munitions like bullets use kinetic force to damage or destroy attacking vehicles and personnel. Unfortunately, the cost of more accurate systems like guided missiles is often prohibitively disproportionate when compared to the cost of the attacking vehicle.
For example, the Israeli Iron Dome system that uses missiles can cost as much as $100,000 per shot to bring down a drone or mortar that costs a mere fraction of that amount. Further complicating the issue is the fact that adversaries are increasingly using drones to mount attacks, including the October 7th, 2023, attack on Israel.
To counter what officials have termed asymmetrical threats, the Israeli government has installed a battery of laser cannons known as Iron Beam. According to an April 2022 tweet by Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennet, Iron Beam can down incoming mortar and drones at the cost of only $3.50 per shot.
These savings and the increasing effectiveness of laser-powered directed energy weapons have not been lost on American armed forces, who have tasked military contractors like Lockheed Martin and Raytheon with building customized combat laser systems, many of which have already been delivered to the armed forces.
Now, U.S. forces have added microwave weapons to their wish list. According to Raytheon, they will not have to wait long.
FROM THOR’S HAMMER TO DEFEND Under the terms of the newly awarded $31.3 million contract awarded by the Naval Surface Warfare Division’s Dahlgren Division, Raytheon will be tasked to “design, build and test” a pair of microwave-based directed energy weapons. Part of the Directed Energy Front-line Electromagnetic Neutralization and Defeat (DEFEND) program, the weapons will use high-powered microwave antennae to bombard incoming drones with enough energy to essentially fry their internal electronics. The resulting blast should disable guidance and control systems, rendering them inoperable or even dropping them out of the sky altogether.
“Non-kinetic defense systems are a key part of America’s national defense strategy,” said Colin Whelan, president of Advanced Technology at Raytheon, in a press release announcing the newly awarded contract. “The new iterations of Raytheon’s high-power microwave systems are cost-effective and reliable solutions that operate at the speed of light – enabling our warfighters to defend against faster and more maneuverable threats.”
In 2021, The Debrief covered a similar system developed by the Air Force Research Labs (AFRL) that also uses microwaves to down enemy drones. Dubbed THOR (Tactical High Power Operational Responder) for the Norse god of thunder, the system was so successful that the AFRL added another weapons platform using the same technology named after Thor’s hammer, Mjölnir.
“Because THOR was so successful, we wanted to keep the new system’s name in the family,” said Adrian Lucero, THOR program manager from AFRL’s directed energy directorate at Kirtland Air Force Base in New Mexico. “Mjölnir will focus on creating a detailed blueprint for all future [counter-unmanned aerial system high-power microwave] systems with enhanced range and technology for detecting and tracking” drones.
According to the AFRL’s system project page, “the system uses high power microwaves to cause a counter electronic effect. A target is identified, the silent weapon discharges in a nanosecond, and the impact is instantaneous.”
This technology will also power the new Raytheon systems, meaning Navy and Air Force personnel will enjoy the benefits of a system that can down threats at the speed of light before they can get close enough to do damage.
DELIVERIES OF PROTOTYPE MICROWAVE DIRECTED ENERGY WEAPONS EXPECTED IN 2024 AND 2026
In their press release, Raytheon points out that they have been working with high-powered microwave systems for 80 years, including systems like the Counter-Electronic High Power Microwave Extended Range Air Base Defense, known as CHIMERA. They are also working hand in hand with the AFRL, meaning the expertise that developed THOR and THOR’s Hammer will pair with the track record of Raytheon to quickly and efficiently deliver these systems surprisingly quickly.
“Work on this contract is being conducted in Tucson, Arizona, in partnership with the U.S. Air Force Research Lab, Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren Division, and the Undersecretary of Defense for Research and Engineering,” the company explains. “Prototypes are expected to be delivered in fiscal years 2024 and 2026.”
Christopher Plain is a Science Fiction and Fantasy novelist and Head Science Writer at The Debrief. Follow and connect with him on X, learn about his books at plainfiction.com, or email him directly at christopher@thedebrief.org.
“You can narrowly focus optical weapons on the target. Can you do the same with microwave energy?”
I didn’t catch what part of the microwave spectrum comes into play but wavelengths range from 30 centimeters to one millimeter.
The inverse square law still applies as well as defocusing behind the target so little danger for bystanders down range.
> but the Air Force version works right from the golf course.<
I see what you did there.
I was always puzzled as to why they built all of the Air Force bases so close to golf courses.
EC
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No, but it eliminates citizens who object to the above.
Today's reality is tomorrow's fiction.
Well........do you think that the military industrial complex wants to get less money for its weaponry?
They will lobby to have this microwave project deep sixed.
It will only be used to flash cook an entire beef for the boys on week ends.
Nancy Pelosi would love to have it mounted, ranging over the mall in DC.BUt its dangerous, and could accidentally shoot down AF1.
Which means they have already had these for ten years. When they say “we are going to R&D and work on building them” it means they have already built them and have a stockpile. It is the precursor to admitting they already have them. They said the same thing with the stealth bombers. Then all of a sudden they were called to duty in the middle east and it turned out they already had a small fleet built, proven, and ready to go.
“Nikki Haley’s Sudden Wealth Rooted in Weapons Industry, Pro-War Advocacy Network”
https://www.leefang.com/p/nikki-haleys-sudden-wealth-rooted
Thank you, this needs to be repeated over and over until it goes viral.
“Can anyone tell me why the latest technological development seems to typically be advertised? To alarm the Chicoms and Putin and Iran accelerate their tech and develop counter measures, and thus require the arms industry to develop counter measures....?”
Because the arms race must be perpetuated or they are out of business. Both sides have their MIC that wants to profit from war. If there is no threat or competition then there is no demand for their products. And if there is no threat then they create one. If there is no competition then they create competition. And these private corporations are not above supplying BOTH sides like many companies did during WWII.
“Oh Yeah? Well guess what we are building!”
And Red China will have the plans within 2 months of its introduction here.
Simple way to deal with this.
After the FIRST incoming weapons destroys something, do NOT take them out but take out whoever ORDERED the first strike.
A few of these and all will be well in the garden.
Oh?
The Russians make these things like hotcakes.
—
The Moscovian’s Kinzal missile is just a faster Iskander ballistic missile - it is not a real hypersonic missile. all ballistic missiles go hypersonic when they begin their descent.
The same way you do with a gun.
Still? This sort of weapon system has been in the news literally for over 40 years. No weapons have been deployed in a practical manner yet. Lots of taxpayers money spent, nothing returned.
Does this laser take out ALL CAPS TARGETS?
Not my headline....................
Rods from God, nuff said.
It actually did work, but it was killed for two good reasons. 1) Atmospherics prevented it from taking out a launched missile from a safe standoff distance, i.e. it would have been shot down by North Korean missiles before it could get within the weapon effective kill distance to take out an ICBM launch. 2) By the time the testing was complete, the optics, lasers, and technology used were 20 years behind what could be fielded now, with far less weight, volume, and greater power.
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