New Counter-Drone Laser Tested

New Counter-Drone Laser Tested

This post is also available in: heעברית (Hebrew)

Drones are becoming more and more pervasive and can be used as weapons intended to cause harm to military bases at long standoff ranges. The use of directed-energy systems against unmanned aerial vehicles is part of the US Air Force’s effort to transition game-changing capability to the warfighter. 

The Air Force’s first high-energy laser counter-drone weapon for the battlefield has been delivered by the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL). The lab has set up the laser weapon system overseas for a 12-month field assessment. 

The project is led by the Air Force Strategic Development Planning & Experimentation (SDPE) Office.

The new laser will be tested along with THOR — another AFRL innovation, offering an electronic technology that can take down swarms of drones in rapid fire, and small unmanned aircraft systems, the AFRL said. During the year-long field assessment, the Air Force will evaluate five systems in all. 

According to daytondailynews.com, the Air Force will also evaluate a high energy laser and microwave from Raytheon and what AFRL calls the “Tactical High Power Operational Responder (THOR) drone killer.”

The intent of these systems are to be operationally used by the combatant commanders for the duration of the 12 months, according to the AFRL.