Subscribe
If you would like to receive email updates on the addition of new items to Wave Front, click
here.
Submit
If you would like to submit potential items for Wave Front or suggest
online sources of DE news, click
here
See also DEPS Press Releases.
Click here to view the online WaveFront Archive.
|
|
US Navy fires laser weapon in Mideast amid drone boat threat
(posted: 15 December 2021)
The Navy announced Wednesday it tested a laser weapon and destroyed a floating target in the Mideast, a system that could be used to counter bomb-laden drone boats deployed by Yemen's Houthi rebels in the Red Sea.
More information.
|
Public-private team in Turkey unveils drone with laser gun
(posted: 15 December 2021)
A public-private partnership in Turkey claims it has created the world's first drone armed with a laser weapon.
The Eren was on display at the Konya Science Festival on Dec. 9. However, neither Tubitak nor Asisguard would provide information about the system's technical data and specifications.
More information.
|
US Navy Opens $23M Facility for Laser Weapons Testing
(posted: 15 December 2021)
The US Navy has opened a new laboratory at Point Mugu in California to test its state-of-the-art laser weapons.
Valued at $23 million, the Directed Energy Systems Integration Laboratory is a three-story facility built on 18,500 square feet along the Point Mugu Sea Range, which has 36,000 square miles of controlled air and sea space.
More information.
|
Kord Technologies to prototype laser weapons on armored combat vehicles to kill rockets, unmanned vehicles
(posted: 10 December 2021)
In an effort to modernize the battlefield, the U.S. Army is working with Kord Technologies in Huntsville, Ala., to put laser weapons on the ground. Popular Mechanics reports.
More information.
|
Noise-Generation Solutions Support the True Power of Directed Energy Weapons
(posted: 10 December 2021)
Defense weaponry is a mainstay on the technological frontlines, continually expanding design and performance capabilities to uphold global safety and security from adversaries with hostile intentions. Directed-energy weapons (DEWs) have garnered significant interest from various military branches and research institutions due to a myriad of operational advantages over traditional defense systems.
More information.
|
Vice chairman nominee says US military must adapt new tech faster to compete with China, Russia
(posted: 8 December 2021)
President Joe Biden's nominee for vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff wants to get critical new weapons technology into troops' hands faster to better deter growing military powers China and Russia, he told lawmakers on Wednesday.
More information.
|
The US Army Will Add a New Laser Weapon System to Its Arsenal in 2022
(posted: 6 December 2021)
Electrification is key to the Navy's future. It's the enabler for high-power radars, navy networks, directed-energy weapons for counter-unmanned systems and missiles, and prime mover propulsion for silent running and shortening the logistical chain for refueling.
More information.
|
SPECIAL REPORT: U.S., Japan Set to Enhance Cooperation on Military R&D
(posted: 8 December 2021)
The United States and Japan are already close military allies, but those ties could become even tighter in coming years as the two nations explore more opportunities to cooperate on defense research and development.
More information.
|
Contesting the Space Domain
(posted: 3 December 2021)
As a derelict Soviet surveillance satellite dating from the 1980s soared hundreds of miles above the Plesetsk Cosmodrome on Nov. 15, a Russian missile rocketed upward to meet it.
The Nudol anti-satellite weapon, a ballistic missile that propels a kinetic kill vehicle (KKV) into orbit, was right on target. The two-and-a-half-ton Cosmos 1408 electronic signals intelligence satellite burst into pieces on impact, spreading a cloud of 1,500 "trackable" pieces of space junk into low-Earth orbit, plus hundreds of thousands more specks too small to track.
More information.
|
Pentagon's innovation steering group mapping existing efforts
(posted: 30 November 2021)
The Pentagon's new innovation steering group has taken its first steps toward transitioning innovative technology from prototyping to programs of record, starting with the basics of identifying the number of innovation organizations across the military.
More information.
|
The US Army Will Add a New Laser Weapon System to Its Arsenal in 2022
(posted: 1 December 2021)
The U.S. Army is set to add a laser weapon system to its arsenal as it looks to strengthen its defense against unmanned aircraft systems (UAS). Raytheon Intelligence & Space (RI&S), a defense contractor, has confirmed that it has received a $123 million contract for manufacturing such a defense system that will be delivered in the next year.
More information.
|
AFRL's drone killer THOR wins Popular Science 'Best of' award
(posted: 1 December 2021)
The Air Force Research Laboratory is celebrating the success of its counter drone weapon, the Tactical High-power Operational Responder, after being named the Popular Science "Best of What's New" in the security category.
More information.
|
Army plans to turn on first hybrid electric Bradley in January
(posted: 29 November 2021)
The US Army plans to switch on the ignition of its hybrid electric Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicle in January and put it through several tests next year, a top Army official recently told Breaking Defense.
More information.
|
U.S. Air Force Adds Scientific Research Office in Australia
(posted: 1 November 2021)
The U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory is opening a scientific research facility in Melbourne, Australia, to be co-located with that country’s Defence Science and Technology Group. The new office will enhance cooperation between the two countries on basic scientific research that will benefit both militaries.
More information.
|
Satellite attack: the mounting arms race in space
(posted: 17 November 2021)
Last year a US general made an ominous revelation: two Russian satellites in orbit were stalking a US spy satellite high above the earth.
More information.
|
What Worked, What Didn't at Army’s Second Connect-Everything Experiment
(posted: 10 November 2021)
If last year's edition of the U.S. Army's massive connect-everything experiment was a proof of concept, this year's was a far bigger effort to see just how much those data-sharing concepts might accelerate major military campaigns.
"I've seen exponential progress since last year," said Army Chief of Staff Gen. James McConville at a media roundtable here on Tuesday. "What I've seen is the ability to move data. The ability to have speed, range, convergence to get the speed for decision dominance [was] significantly improved."
More information.
|
Counter-drone tech at Dubai Airshow reflects UAE's interest in the capability
(posted: 17 November 2021)
Although not as abundant as drones, countermeasures against the unmanned systems are certainly prevalent at the 2021 Dubai Airshow, which is taking place Nov. 14-18.
Two counter-drone systems showcased at the event reflect the United Arab Emirates' interest in such technology: U.S.-based Fortem Technologies displayed its SkyDome, which is already operational in the Gulf country; and Emirati company International Golden Group showed off the Israeli system Skylock, which underwent testing in the UAE.
More information.
|
Why the World's Militaries are Embracing 5G
(posted: 26 October 2021)
It's 2035, and the sun beats down on a vast desert coastline. A fighter jet takes off accompanied by four unpiloted aerial vehicles (UAVs) on a mission of reconnaissance and air support. A dozen special forces soldiers have moved into a town in hostile territory, to identify targets for an air strike on a weapons cache. Commanders need live visual evidence to correctly identify the targets for the strike and to minimize damage to surrounding buildings. The problem is that enemy jamming has blacked out the team's typical radio-frequency bands around the cache. Conventional, civilian bands are a no-go because they'd give away the team's position.
More information.
|
US Army Likely to Field DOD's First Hypersonic Weapons in Next 'Year or Two'
(posted: 16 November 2021)
The first battle-ready U.S. hypersonic weapon will be fielded within a year or two by the Army, and the Navy is not far behind, according to the Department of Defense official overseeing research into the emerging and disruptive technology.
More information.
|
US Army's hypersonic supervisor talks tech portfolio
(posted: 9 November 2021)
Since Lt. Gen. L. Neil Thurgood took over the U.S. Army's Rapid Capabilities and Critical Technologies Office, he's overseen the Pentagon's attempt to build the U.S. hypersonic weapons industrial base, begun fielding hypersonic launchers and other equipment to the first unit to receive the capability and has started building out the first battery of a laser-weapon equipped Stryker combat vehicle.
More information.
|
The roadmap for naval electrification
(posted: 8 November 2021)
With the first delivery of the DDG 1000 Zumwalt Class guided missile destroyer (DDG(X)) in 2020 and the ongoing development of the Columbia-class ballistic missile submarine, the US Navy is for the first time leaping into the use of electric drive propulsion and battery systems for warships, as opposed to just for support vessels.
More information.
|
Capella to demonstrate first SARsat-based laser communications for SDA
(posted: 9 November 2021)
Capella Space will become the first synthetic aperture radar firm to demonstration optical link connectivity with the Space Development Agency's Transport Layer of data relay satellites, the California startup announced today.
More information.
|
General Atomics and Boeing will build a giant laser for the US military
(posted: 4 November 2021)
The military is commissioning its most powerful laser weapon to date. Announced October 25, the Army is asking for a 300 kiloWatt solid state laser and has awarded a contract to General Atomics to deliver it. If successfully developed, it will be powerful enough to destroy a range of objects, from small drones to flying missiles.
More information.
|
Next-Generation Power for Air Force Fighters
(posted: 5 November 2021)
After nearly 15 years in development and a $4 billion Air Force investment, two brand-new fighter engines are in test, promising game-changing improvement in range and thrust. Which airplane they will equip first—and when—is suddenly a hot debate in Washington.
More information.
|
Marine Bangs Drum for Investing in Nonlethal Weapons
(posted: 20 October 2021)
Enhancing "lethality" has become a buzzword at the Pentagon and a mantra among force modernizers as the U.S. military gears up for great power competition. But the Defense Department needs to invest more in nonlethal capabilities to expand the range of options for commanders and troops when killing people isn’t the best course of action, the director of the Joint Intermediate Force Capabilities Office said Oct. 20.
More information.
|
AFRL partners with UNM for new Directed Energy Center
(posted: 4 November 2021)
The Air Force Research Laboratory's Directed Energy Directorate is partnering with The University of New Mexico (UNM) to establish a center for directed energy studies, a congressionally-funded endeavor.
The Directed Energy Center will be based at UNM and jointly managed by UNM's School of Engineering and UNM’s Center for High Technology Materials (CHTM). AFRL is recognized as the nation’s center of excellence for the development of directed energy technologies and will oversee the founding of the center as well as the research taking place at UNM.
More information.
|
U.S. Marines 'Storm' Israeli Beaches As Part Of A Major Exercise
(posted: 3 November 2021)
Elements of the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps recently kicked off an amphibious exercise with the Israel Defense Forces that have placed American forces on the ground in Israel to train. Though the United States and Israel have strong and long-standing military ties, the actual interactions between the two often have been discreet in the past for political reasons. This has been changing in recent years, and this exercise comes less than a month after both countries said they were exploring a possible "Plan B" with regard to Iran if the regime in Tehran did not return to compliance with a multinational deal over its nuclear ambitions.
More information.
|
How Next-Generation Weapons Systems are Changing the Procurement Paradigm
(posted: 2 November 2021)
U.S. Army weapons developers often acknowledge that the United States trails both Russia and China in the hypersonic arms race. That is one reason why the service is focused on the planned 2023 arrival of its new Long Range Hypersonic Weapon (LRHW).
The Department of Defense is acting with a sense of urgency due to recent Russian and Chinese hypersonic weapons tests and demonstrations. Its goal is to make sure the military is not outgunned, outranged, or simply overmatched by peer rivals already ready to deploy operational hypersonics.
More information.
|
Drone Attack In Syria May Be Warning Of Things To Come
(posted: 26 October 2021)
With the US now pointing the finger at Iran as the source of last week's armed drone attack against American forces in Syria, government sources here are casting the situation as part of a broader Iranian-led expansion campaign in Syria — with armed drones serving as the main weapon.
More information.
|
Army Awards Laser Weapon Contract To Boeing, General Atomics Team
(posted: 26 October 2021)
The US Army's Rapid Capabilities and Critical Technologies Office has awarded a General Atomics and Boeing team a contract to develop a 300 kilo-watt high energy laser weapon, the companies announced Monday.
More information.
|
General Dynamics' Stryker Will Counter Drone Swarms With a Microwave Weapon
(posted: 26 October 2021)
In an effort to counter the emerging threat of drone swarms, General Dynamics Land Systems struck a strategic agreement with Epirus Inc. to integrate their directed energy weapons into its Stryker combat vehicles, a press release said.
More information.
|
Space Force 'Very Happy' With Air Force Research Lab Realignment
(posted: 27 October 2021)
The Air Force Research Laboratory has finally filled a new post announced more than a year ago to be a single point of contact for its new customers in the Space Force—and those customers say the lab’s realignment to work for two services appears to be succeeding.
More information.
|
DOD Developing Common Standards, Interfaces For DEWS
(posted: 19 October 2021)
The U.S. Defense Department has announced plans to apply modular open systems approach (MOSA) standards on an emerging class of directed energy weapon systems (DEWS). A request for information (RFI) published on Oct. 19 by the office of Undersecretary for Research and Engineering Heidi Shyu reveals...
More information.
|
Rapid Pulse Laser Weapons Could Be The Pentagon’s Future Edge
(posted: 19 October 2021)
Most of the Pentagon's current research in directed energy weapons concerns continuous-wave lasers, which use a relatively low-power, high-energy beam to burn out optical sensors or gradually cause other material damage. But defense leaders are increasingly interested in ultrashort pulse lasers (USPLs), unimaginably high-powered beams fired for a tiny fraction of a second to vaporize a small portion of a target’s surface or disrupt its electronics.
More information.
|
Special Operations Command to Test Fire Sneaky Laser Weapon on AC-130J Ghostrider Gunship
(posted: 16 October 2021)
The Special Operations Command's AC-130J Ghostrider gunship aircraft are set to test a truly ghostly new weapon: a phantasmal laser that can burn holes into targets from a distance without creating a sound or visible beam, nor leaving any evidence of the assailant.
More information.
|
The Navy's Next Laser Weapon Is Basically a Real-Life Ray Gun
(posted: 8 October 2021)
The U.S. Office of Naval Research recently ordered a "compact, portable" laser weapon system, according to a Department of Defense contract notice filed in August. In other words, it's basically funding a real-life ray gun. The Navy will use the weapon, known as the Counter-Unmanned Air Systems High Energy Laser Weapon System (or C-UAS HELWS for short), to shoot down drones.
More information.
|
Panel: Military Needs More Electrical Power to Counter Long-Range Missile Threats
(posted: 15 October 2021)
The Pentagon finds itself in the “shocking and eye-opening” position of needing more electrical power to protect distributed naval and ground forces from long-range attack at a time when China dominates the global production of advanced batteries needed to meet that mission, a panel of security experts said Thursday.
More information.
|
Lockheed delivers laser for AC-130J gunship
(posted: 11 October 2021)
The AC-130J Ghostrider gunship just got a step closer to getting its laser.
Lockheed Martin said in an Oct. 6 release it has finished factory acceptance testing for its Airborne High Energy Laser and has delivered the laser to the Air Force to be integrated with other systems, ground tested, and then flight tested on its newest gunship.
More information.
|
Greek Navy, Aegis, radar and lasers: Lockheed Martin naval systems update
(posted: 13 October 2021)
Frigates and radars and lasers, oh my! In terms of naval systems, Lockheed Martin is, perhaps, best known for its Aegis integrated weapons system. It is now looking to integrate lasers to give the US Navy more pew pew at sea. But perhaps the biggest opportunity underway is the US bid for the Hellenic Navy Modernisation. The company’s Jon Rambeau tells us more.
More information.
|
Straight From Science Fiction, US To Equip Its Military With High-Energy Laser Guns For Next-Gen Warfare
(posted: 13 October 2021)
Unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) or drones have proliferated quickly and are now accessible to nations as well as to non-state actors and individuals.
A report prepared by the Congressional research service noted that these systems could potentially offer the US’ adversaries low-cost means of conducting intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) missions against—or attacking—the American forces.
More information.
|
Military researchers ask industry to develop wireless networks that use lasers to transmit electrical power
(posted: 12 October 2021)
A wireless network energy web that consists of several dynamic nodes will improve military capabilities significantly, DARPA researchers say. To achieve this, researchers are interested in three technology areas: high-energy-flux; high-efficiency optical energy conversion; and relay technologies.
More information.
|
U.S. Air Force Arms Ghostrider Gunship With Laser Weapon For Covert Strikes
(posted: 7 October 2021)
Lockheed Martin announced on Wednesday that the U.S. Air Force had accepted its new Airborne High Energy Laser (AHEL) for flight testing on an AC-130J Ghostrider gunship.
More information.
|
U.S. Army Looks At New Ways To Beat Drones
(posted: 8 October 2021)
U.S. forces are operating without complete air superiority, with the threat of small, low-cost unmanned aircraft systems proliferating to the point that the Army’s chief says they are the new improvised explosive device.
More information.
|
Electromagnetic warfare emerging to destroy or disable critical enemy electronics without collateral damage
(posted: 28 September 2021)
Electromagnetic warfare emerging for high-energy electrical weapons that damage or destroy enemy electronics.
There's an emerging brand of waging war that uses electrical energy instead of bombs and bullets to attack an enemy's means and will to continue the fight -- electromagnetic warfare.
More information.
|
Pentagon Wants Industry Input on Risks to Supply Chain
(posted: 29 September 2021)
The Pentagon is seeking industry comments about defense supply chain vulnerabilities in the areas of "select" kinetic weapons, power storage, microelectronics, and castings and forgings. The Biden administration wants the information to develop policies that can head off single-point failures in defense supply.
More information.
|
WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN YOU’RE EXPECTING A NATIONAL DEFENSE STRATEGY
(posted: 27 September 2021)
In July, Rear Adm. Mike Studeman, director of intelligence for U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, warned that "it's only a matter of time" until China resorts to military force and suggested that U.S. forces are not ready for that "very bad day." Meanwhile, Russia continues to maneuver its forces aggressively on NATO's eastern flank, Iran inches toward a nuclear weapons capability, North Korea builds its missile arsenal, and the Taliban has taken control of Afghanistan.
More information.
|
The Navy Electrifies In A Transition As Monumental As Sail To Steam
(posted: 30 September 2021)
The progression of naval propulsion from sail to steam and now to hybrid-electric and electric-drive engines for new ship classes—while optimizing existing power aboard a current fleet that relies on gas turbine, diesel, and nuclear propulsion―raises both prospects and challenges.
More information.
|
Drones are redefining the modern battlefield — we must act swiftly to counter the UAS threat
(posted: 22 September 2021)
Recent events in Afghanistan remind us that today's global security landscape presents a vast matrix of complex challenges for the Department of Defense (DoD). One of the most concerning tactical developments is the rapid evolution in the use of militarized Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) - or drones - by near-peer adversaries and non-state actors. Armed, low-cost drones are now a feature of 21st century warfare and we must accept the reality that this threat is here to stay.
More information.
|
France, Lasers and Defeating UAVs
(posted: 7 September 2021)
French efforts to build a military laser to hit an unmanned aerial vehicle could be seen with the July 7 demonstration of the downing of a drone in flight by a laser weapon under development.
More information.
|
Next-gen tech investments, platform upgrades lead France’s 2022 defense budget
(posted: 22 September 2021)
The French Armed Forces Ministry is pouring billions of euros into critical technologies and new equipment in 2022 as it sets its sights on a future battlefield dominated by advanced platforms, cyber defenses and space-based capabilities.
More information.
|
AFRL breaks ground on high-tech wargaming facility
(posted: 14 September 2021)
The Air Force Research Laboratory broke ground on a $6 million, 10,685 square foot laboratory, September 8 that will advance wargaming and simulation, and analysis for AFRL’s Directed Energy and Space Vehicles Directorates located on Kirtland Air Force Base.
More information.
|
Brits make new push for directed-energy weapons aboard vehicles, ships
(posted: 14 September 2021)
The British Ministry of Defence has awarded three directed-energy weapon demonstrator contracts totaling £72.5 million ($100 million) to British industry teams, officials announced on Sept. 14.
The move will see demonstrator trials take place with systems mounted aboard a Royal Navy Type 23 vessel, a truck, and an armored vehicle, the MoD said.
More information.
|
Can The US Army Transform Without A New Approach to Warfare?
(posted: 16 September 2021)
When the US Army talks about transforming itself, it focuses primarily on new, advanced capabilities, and on streamlining the acquisition system. And there is a lot to be positive about in Army's success in accelerating development of an array of new and hopefully significantly more capable weapons systems, platforms, and enablers.
More information.
|
DSEI NEWS: Army Leader Touts Modernization Efforts Across the Pond
(posted: 15 September 2021)
The U.S. Army is collaborating with the United Kingdom as it modernizes its force, said a service official Sept. 14.
The land branch is partnering with its close ally on emerging technology to better face the growing threat of Russia and China, noted U.S. Army Lt. Gen. Erik Peterson, deputy chief of staff, G-8.
More information.
|
The US Navy and the Future of Directed-Energy Weapons
(posted: 4 September 2021)
Once the preserve of science fiction, directed-energy weapons could be coming to a battlefield (hopefully not near you) very soon. With many countries around the world currently working hard to make them a reality, it appears we are about to see something of a revolution in arms technology.
Chief amongst such countries is, of course, the United States. But what, if any, directed-energy systems do U.S. Armed Forces have access to? Let's find out.
More information.
|
High energy lasers: almost ready for effective drone defence on the battlefield
(posted: 1 September 2021)
It is taking far longer – and costing much more – than originally planned for the world’s militaries to bring lasers for drone defence onto the battlefield.
While the USA and Israel are understood to have deployed high energy lasers (HEL) in some various degrees of operational deployment, there is little evidence, despite claims to the contrary, that a HEL system has successfully engaging an enemy UAS in combat.
More information.
|
Navy Arming Surface Ships with Drone Repellent System
(posted: 7 September 2021)
With the use of drones becoming more prevalent, the Navy has found a way to ensure all of its surface ships can repel unmanned aerial vehicles.
The Drone Restricted Access Using Known Electromagnetic Warfare system, or DRAKE, built by Northrop Grumman and originally used on Humvees during the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, is now used across the Navy’s surface fleet.
More information.
|
Will Lasers Change War?
(posted: 9 September August 2021)
Directed energy weapons – lasers – are a good example of a defense technology that has flitted around the edges of possibility for decades. The prospect of a weapon that needs no ammunition, and whose effects travel at the speed of light, remains tantalizing for militaries, despite numerous technical challenges, which have so far prevented lasers’ meaningful use.
More information.
|
House committee fears gap in industrial capability to power laser weapons
(posted: 2 September 2021)
The House Armed Services Committee adopted an amendment into its markup of the fiscal 2022 defense policy bill that would make the Pentagon report on its investment strategy for developing power and thermal management systems that enable laser weapons.
More information.
|
At next Project Convergence, 7 scenarios will test American tech against adversaries
(posted: 7 September 2021)
After spending nearly a year preparing in the lab and in the field, the U.S. Army is set to launch a second round of its major experimentation event this fall, dubbed Project Convergence. The latest iteration is focused on how the joint force will defeat advanced adversaries and overcome their high-end capabilities in a future fight.
More information.
|
NSWC Dahlgren and Philadelphia Divisions Develop Paradigm to Power Ships with Laser Weapons
(posted: 30 August 2021)
How can the U.S. Navy integrate electric weapons such as its new and emerging high-energy laser systems into warships while ensuring there is enough power for all ship systems and services?
More information.
|
Defense Department Commissions Marine Fog Study
(posted: 31 August 2021)
Marine fog has been a perennial problem for the military, with its unpredictable occurrence obstructing views and adversely affecting weapon systems. To better understand the weather phenomena, the Defense Department recently awarded the University of Notre Dame a $7.5 million contract to study it.
More information.
|
US Army Claims Its Latest Defense System Can ‘Burn Down’ Rockets, Drones & Even Mortar Shells Mid-Air
(posted: 30 August 2021)
The US’ arch-rival, China has been testing drone swarm technology for the past few years. In May 2019, China Electronics Technology Group Corp. broke the national fixed-wing drone swarm record by simultaneously launching 200 unmanned aerial vehicles, according to reports.
More information.
|
Navy taps MZA Associates to develop portable laser weapons for counter-UAV operations on land and sea
(posted: 23 August 2021)
Laser weapons experts at MZA Associates Corp. in Albuquerque, N.M., are adding their expertise to U.S. military efforts to develop portable high-energy lasers to damage or destroy unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) that are violating the airspace of military bases or other sensitive installations.
More information.
|
Army advances first laser weapon through Combat Shoot-Off
(posted: 10 August 2021)
As a leader in new and emerging technology, the Army is fielding next-generation capabilities to advance its Multi-Domain Operations and create standoff.
Nowhere is that more evident than with Directed Energy, where in 24 months, the Army harnessed the promise of lasers, integrated it onto a platform, and produced its first combat capable prototype.
More information.
|
U.S. Army Selects Raytheon Air Defense Laser For Initial Fielding
(posted: 18 August 2021)
A Raytheon-designed laser weapon prototype will be fielded to four mobile, short-range air defense (M-SHORAD) platoons by the end of fiscal 2022, U.S. Army officials said on Aug. 18. The decision eliminates a Northrop Grumman-designed version of the 50-kW-class directed energy system from the...
More information.
|
Lasers are fired at a tiny spot to produce 'mega blast of energy'
(posted: 18 August 2021)
Nuclear fusion could be a step closer to reality after scientists focused lasers the size of three football fields onto a tiny peppercorn-sized spot to create a 'mega blast of energy'.
More information.
|
Soldiers knock down airborne threats with new missile defense system
(posted: 25 August 2021)
The Army, working with the Israeli Missile Defense Organization, recently completed another step toward fielding the first of two Iron Dome defense system batteries, a key platform for protecting forces from cruise missiles, drones, rockets, artillery and mortars.
More information.
|
Lockheed: New missile defense system upgrades will produce more comprehensive battlefield picture
(posted: 24 August 2021)
The next round of upgrades for the U.S. Missile Defense Agency's battle command system is expected to deliver a more comprehensive battlefield picture, according to the system's developer, Lockheed Martin.
More information.
|
Army details successful prototype demonstration of 1st laser weapon
(posted: 17 August 2021)
The U.S. Army has completed a directed-energy maneuver short-range air defense (DE M-SHORAD) "combat shoot-off" - its first development and demonstration of a high-power laser weapon.
More information.
|
Lockheed, Navy Surface Warfare Centers collaborate to deploy high-energy laser tech; Tyler Fitzsimmons quoted
(posted: 13 August 2021)
Three Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC) divisions have worked with Lockheed Martin to help the U.S. Navy field a laser control technology the company developed to support the branch's combat identification, threat engagement and battle damage assessment efforts.
More information.
|
Northrop bows out of competition to build laser weapon for Strykers
(posted: 18 August 2021)
Northrop Grumman is no longer in the running to build a powerful laser weapon system for the U.S. Army's Short-Range Air Defense System, sources tell Defense News. While testing the 50-kilowatt laser module on the SHORAD system late last year, a fire broke out, according to sources with knowledge of the incident but not authorized to speak publicly.
More information.
|
Strategic commander shares update on space defense
(posted: 18 August 2021)
The leader of the Space and Missile Defense Command said during the 24th annual Space and Missile Defense Symposium that his "People First" team ensures space and missile defense capabilities for the Soldier, the Army and the nation.
More information.
|
Microwave arms race is heating up
(posted: 4 August 2021)
The military is racing to deploy new weapons to tackle the threat from small drones. That means tackling multiple attackers simultaneously, and microwave weapons are regarded as the obvious choice. Solid-state technology, seen taking drones down in a new video below, makes it practical to field such weapons with mobile units.
More information.
|
AEDC tests directed energy system in wind tunnel
(posted: 4 August 2021)
The Aerodynamics Branch of the Arnold Engineering Development Complex at Arnold Air Force Base, is helping the Air Force take directed energy systems airborne. Directed energy systems use high-energy lasers or microwaves to degrade or destroy threats and targets. "There is a growing interest for directed energy systems within the DoD [Department of Defense] for many purposes, especially defending our systems and personnel," said Dr. Rich Roberts, chief of the Aerodynamics Branch Store Separation Section.
More information.
|
This is what the Navy's new shipboard electronic warfare system can actually do
(posted: 4 August 2021)
The battle to control the electromagnetic battlefield is jumping into warp speed and these capabilities are especially important for protecting warships against many types of threats, from ever more advanced anti-ship missiles to swarms of drones. The Navy is now on the precipice of receiving the most revolutionary upgrade in electronic warfare capability for its surface fleet in a very long time via the AN/SLQ-32(V)7 Surface Electronic Warfare Improvement Program Block III, or SEWIP Block III, electronic warfare system.
More information.
|
High-energy laser weapons move quickly from prototype to deployment
(posted: 2 August 2021)
When it comes to defending against oncoming missiles, laser weapons could provide a precise way to target and destroy from aboard a vehicle or ship. Laser weapons can defend against a mortar, which does not have a guidance system, or against a sophisticated drone. They travel at the speed of light and can be tuned to produce as little or as much damage deemed appropriate for the situation. In addition, they have a low capacity for collateral damage, since the size of the beam is so small and precise.
More information.
|
High-Powered Lasers Boost Anti-Ship Cruise Missile Capability
(posted: 4 August 2021)
The Navy is making considerable progress in the drive to field a high-energy laser system that can meet the demand for a directed energy system capable of defeating anti-ship cruise missiles called for in Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Michael Gilday's 2021 Navigation Plan, Christopher Floyd, a distinguished scientist for Laser Weapon Lethality at Naval Surface Warfare Center, Dahlgren, Maryland, said.
More information.
|
AFRL looking for contractors to build anti-UAS high-powered microwave
(posted: 30 July 2021)
The Air Force Research Laboratory is looking for contractors to develop a fieldable high-powered microwave system that can protect air bases by disabling or destroying hostile drones, according to a solicitation published July 28. The program will launch this fall, and AFRL wants a prototype system in 2023.
More information.
|
Electronic attack system to provide Navy more capabilities, flexible options
(posted: 2 August 2021)
The U.S. Navy's ship-based electronic countermeasure system will provide an unlimited supply of ammunition against incoming threats, allowing the service to be more dynamic, and will open up new concepts for other capabilities, the system's contractor said.
More information.
|
The Navy wants to weaponize your own voice against you
(posted: 2 August 2021)
A Navy engineer has developed a new non-lethal device designed to render targets incapable of speech by turning their own voice against them, according to a new patent application. Invented by Christopher A Brown of the Naval Surface Warfare Center - Crane Division near Bloomington, Indiana, and patented in late June, the so-called "acoustic hailing and disruption" (AHAD) system is elegant in its simplicity.
More information.
|
USAF tests directed energy weapon in wind tunnel
(posted: 4 August 2021)
The U.S. Air Force wants to add directed-energy weapons (DE) to its fighters and has conducted a wind tunnel test to assess how changing airflows influence a DE system's beam quality and effectiveness. Unlike traditional weapon systems, DE systems do not use physical projectiles. Instead, they employ high-energy lasers or microwaves.
More information.
|
Directed energy weapons (DEW) technologies market is going to boom
(posted: 2 August 2021)
The Latest intelligence report was published by AMA Research titled "Directed Energy Weapons (DEW) Technologies Market Outlook to 2026". A detailed study accumulated to offer the Latest insights about acute features of the Global Directed Energy Weapons (DEW) Technologies market. This report provides a detailed overview of key factors in the Directed Energy Weapons (DEW) Technologies Market and factors such as driver, restraint, past and current trends, regulatory scenarios and technology development.
More information.
|
Laser technology will improve operations
(posted: 23 July 2021)
Around for several decades, the technology of combined-fiber, high energy lasers are advancing to the battlefield from laboratory or exercise demonstration. The advent of the production of the technology, advanced battery capabilities and higher laser power - along with a mounting unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) threat - are all combining into more demand and use by the U.S. military.
More information.
|
Directed energy: From counter-drone to force fields?
(posted: 23 July 2021)
The Air Force and Army are rapidly pushing to expand development of directed energy weapons beyond the high-priority counter-drone mission, officials said yesterday. "The Air Force and the Army both, we have ongoing efforts to build counter-UAS systems," Craig Robin, head of directed energy at the Army Rapid Capabilities & Critical Technologies Office (RCCTO), explained during a webinar sponsored by Defence iQ. "UAVs are in the threat set ... they're just not the only threat."
More information.
|
Poll: Laser directed energy weapons likely to receive the most investment in future
(posted: 23 July 2021)
DEWs are expected to be equipped with combat platforms and deployed along with conventional weapons by 2025, according to GlobalData. In a poll Verdict has conducted to assess the form of DEW that is likely to receive the most investment going forward, a majority 69% of the respondents voted for laser.
More information.
|
VTG wins contract to install counter-UAS laser on additional US ships
(posted: 22 July 2021)
Digital transformation solutions provider VTG has secured a prime, single-award contract from the US Naval Surface Warfare Center, Port Hueneme Division (NSWC PHD). The contract will see VTG equip additional US ships with a new laser designed to counter threats from uncrewed aerial systems (UAS).
More information.
|
Generating antimatter by high-intensity lasers possible by producing plasma-level energy similar to neutron star
(posted: 26 July 2021)
Physics experts are successful at creating laboratory-grade antimatter. The process was done by firing high-intensity lasers that emit a high plasma rate comparable to the energy available in a neutron star. Antimatter, among others, is a mysterious state that is theorized to hold key solutions to the puzzles offered by cosmology studies.
More information.
|
Air Force directed energy report argues defensive force fields may be 'just on the horizon'
(posted: 21 July 2021)
The Air Force Research Laboratory at Kirtland Air Force Base has released a new analysis of the Department of Defense's investments into directed energy technologies, or DE. The report, titled "Directed Energy Futures 2060," makes predictions about what the state of DE weapons and applications will be 40 years from now and offers a range of scenarios in which the United States might find itself either leading the field in DE or lagging behind peer-state adversaries.
More information.
|
Air Force reaches out to industry for ultra-short-pulse fiber laser technology for future laser weapons
(posted: 15 July 2021)
U.S. Air Force laser weapons experts are reaching out to industry for enabling technologies that could lead to ultra-short-pulse fiber lasers for future directed-energy weapons. Officials of the Air Force Research Laboratory Directed-Energy Directorate at Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico, issued a request for information (RFI-RDKP-2021-0003) for the Ultrashort High Average Power Technology Availability project.
More information.
|
US Navy USS Stockdale DDG-106 Arleigh Burke-class destroyer is now armed with ODIN laser weapon
(posted: 18 July 2021)
Citing an U.S. congress report, the U.S. Navy in recent years has leveraged both significant advancements in industrial SSLs (Solid State Lasers) and decades of research and development work on military lasers done by other parts of U.S. DoD (Department of Defense) to make substantial progress toward deploying high-energy lasers (HELs) on U.S. Navy surface ships.
More information.
|
Defense tech company Applied Energetics relocates HQ to UA Tech Park
(posted: 16 July 2021)
The University of Arizona's Tech Park on Rita Road south of Tucson houses dozens of startup companies, but the resources it offers are a draw for well-established companies, too. Tucson-based defense technology company Applied Energetics recently relocated their headquarters to the Tech Park, where they will further develop their lasers.
More information.
|
Air Force approaches industry for enabling technologies in high-power electromagnetic and microwave weapons
(posted: 7 July 2021)
U.S. Air Force high-power electromagnetic (HPEM) weapons researchers are asking the industry to develop new HPEM weapons concepts, materials, components and compact power topologies for future military programs. Officials of the Air Force Research Laboratory Directed Energy Directorate at Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico, issued a broad agency announcement for the Advanced Electromagnetic Technology (AET) project.
More information.
|
US Army demonstrates mobile microgrid capability to power next-gen weapons
(posted: 9 July 2021)
The U.S. Army recently demonstrated a vehicle-mounted microgrid system that provides "on-the-move" power for next-generation weapon systems. In addition to powering systems such as directed energy and missile defense, the vehicle-centric microgrid (VCM) prototype promises to charge "future command, control, communications, computers and intelligence systems," the army said.
More information.
|
Here's our best look yet at the Navy's new laser dazzler system
(posted: 13 July 2021)
Images published by the U.S. Navy offer the most detailed look yet at the new Optical Dazzling Interdictor, or ODIN, in an operational setting. The directed energy weapon was seen aboard the USS Stockdale (DDG 106) Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer while it was conducting a replenishment-at-sea with the USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70) on July 12.
More information.
|
US laser weapons verse Chinese swarm drones: Can China overwhelm the US with sheer numbers?
(posted: 8 July 2021)
As a C-RAM air defense system thwarted a possible drone attack on the American embassy in Baghdad, it would be interesting to assess if the high-tech U.S. systems can stand up to Chinese drone swarms.
More information.
|
France tests laser-powered anti-drone system for the 2024 Olympics
(posted: 7 July 2021)
The French military used a laser-powered canon to destroy a drone in a test of technology that the government hopes will be used to protect the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. The Armed Forces Ministry said the test, conducted near the Atlantic coast in southwestern France, was a first for Europe, adding that the United States and Israel were also working on similar "Star Wars"-inspired weapons.
More information.
|
Maneuver warfare in space: The strategic imperative for nuclear thermal propulsion
(posted: 8 July 2021)
China's aggressive military space strategy, which views space warfare as "rapid and destructive," must prompt U.S. space leaders to rethink their approach to this growing threat. While defenses against Chinese ground-based anti-satellite missiles or on-orbit weapons may include such methods as the proliferation of numerous small-satellite constellations or hardening of satellites themselves, speed and maneuverability will remain key war-fighting attributes.
More information.
|
Why Congress should provide reliable funding for directed-energy capabilities
(posted: 30 June 2021)
On June 8, the U.S. Army took the unusual step of asking Congress to allow it to slow the pace at which it is required to purchase and field the Indirect Fire Protection Capability Increment 2, designed to protect U.S. bases from cruise missiles and other threats. Congress had previously mandated that the Army should have two batteries of IFPC Increment 2 by fiscal 2023 in addition to two Iron Dome batteries purchased as IFPC Increment 1.
More information.
|
Navy pulls plug on $500 million railgun effort
(posted: 1 July 2021)
The Navy is shifting away from its electromagnetic railgun after more than 10 years of trying to create a weapon that uses electricity to fire projectiles at up to seven times the speed of sound, The Associated Press reported. The service, which once considered using the futuristic armament on new Zumwalt-class destroyers, cut railgun research funding from its most recent budget proposal.
More information.
|
DoD Demonstrates Mobile Microgrid Technology
(posted: 30 June 2021)
The Office of the Undersecretary of Defense for Research and Engineering and the Department of the Army recently demonstrated a mobile, fast-forming, secure and intelligent vehicle-centric microgrid prototype that will power next-generation warfighting capabilities and joint warfighting concepts.
More information.
|
AFRL holds high power electromagnetic wargaming event
(posted: 2 July 2021)
The Air Force Research Laboratory Directed Energy Directorate held its second in a series of wargaming, modeling and simulation events June 21-25 at Kirtland AFB. The latest Directed Energy Utility Concept Experiment, or DEUCE, focused on the use of high power electromagnetic (HPEM) weapons as part of an integrated air defense system, whereas the DEUCE held in January concentrated on the capabilities of high energy laser systems.
More information.
|
Watch this plane shoot down drones with a high-powered laser in a first-of-its-kind Israeli military test
(posted: 21 June 2021)
The Israeli military used a plane armed with a high-powered laser to intercept and shoot down several unmanned aircraft in flight in a first-of-its-kind test for the Israeli armed forces, which are constantly searching for new ways to counter airborne threats like rockets and drones from Gaza and elsewhere.
More information.
|
US Army could soon have a high-power microwave to destroy small drone swarms
(posted: 17 June 2021)
The U.S. Army is set to begin development and integration of a high-power microwave capability to destroy small drone threats beginning in fiscal 2022, according to budget justification documents released with the financial request.
More information.
|
Give Lasers Back to the Missile Defense Agency, Lawmaker Says
(posted: 16 June 2021)
A key House Democrat wants the Pentagon to reassess a Trump administration decision to halt the Missile Defense Agency's research into laser interceptors.
That decision to move directed energy-related funds to other defense organizations, Rep. James Langevin, D-R.I., argues, could prevent the technology from being used to defend the United States or deployed troops.
More information.
|
US Will Try Using Lasers to Send Data From Space to Drones
(posted: 17 June 2021)
Early next year, the U.S. military's Space Development Agency will test whether low-earth orbit satellites can communicate with an MQ-9 Reaper drone via optical links, or lasers.
If the experiment is successful, it will pave the way for a new, less hackable means of communication between drones, jets, and other weapons and commanders and operators from afar.
More information.
|
The Space Force wants to use directed-energy systems for space superiority
(posted: 16 June 2021)
The head of the Space Force acknowledged that the U.S. is developing the "appropriate" directed-energy systems to maintain American space superiority, although he declined to provide details in the unclassified setting of a June 16 congressional hearing.
More information.
|
New Device Uses Ultra-Short Pulse Laser Source for Material Processing
(posted: 21 June 2021)
A special laser device was recently acquired by the engineering sciences at the University of Bayreuth. This device was fitted with an ultra-short pulse laser source for material processing.
The device opens up unimaginable research possibilities in the fields of high-frequency technology, microsystems technology and gas sensor technology. It can shape coatings and layers on sensitive surfaces with excellent precision.
More information.
|
New Directed Energy Device for Biomedical and Military Defense Applications
(posted: 1 May 2021)
An invention from Purdue University innovators may provide a new option to use directed energy for biomedical and defense applications.
The Purdue invention uses composite-based nonlinear transmission lines (NLTLs) for a complete high-power microwave system, eliminating the need for multiple auxiliary systems. The interest in NLTLs has increased in the past few decades because they offer an effective solid-state alternative to conventional vacuum-based, high-power microwave generators that require large and expensive external systems, such as cryogenic electromagnets and high-voltage nanosecond pulse generators.
More information.
|
Navy Installing More Directed Energy Weapons on DDGs, Conducting Land-Based Laser Testing This Year
(posted: 7 April 2021)
The Navy continues to learn more about a pair of directed energy weapons, as the service installs the fourth and fifth dazzler system this year and begins land-based testing of a high-energy laser weapon, the program executive officer for integrated warfare systems told USNI News.
More information.
|
Raytheon awarded $15.5 million to upgrade laser weapon
(posted: 7 April 2021)
The U.S. Air Force awarded Raytheon Technologies a $15.5 million contract to deliver an upgraded version of its dune buggy-mounted laser weapon system, which the company says will inform requirements for a future program of record.
More information.
|
Marines' Drone-Killing Lasers Get Even More Powerful After Upgrades
(posted: 1 April 2021)
The Marine Corps' ground-based laser systems, which can be mounted to the tops of vehicles to take down drones, now have stronger beams to combat airborne threats.
The Corps has a new $2.5 million agreement with Boeing to service its Compact Laser Weapon System for the next five years. The system, which can be attached to combat vehicles, can be used on land or at sea.
More information.
|
Drones Vs. Drones: Lockheed MORFIUS Uses Microwaves To Kill Swarms
(posted: 19 March 2021)
To fight the growing danger of hostile drones, Lockheed Martin is offering MORFIUS, a drone armed with a High-Powered Microwave (HPM) to zap UAV swarms out of the sky. MORFIUS is a reusable drone that can fit inside a six-inch diameter launch tube and weighs less than 30 pounds, light and versatile enough to attach to ground stations, ground vehicles, or aircraft.
Presenting as part of the AUSA's Global Force Next conference, the company outlined why, exactly, it sees microwave weapons as a nearly future-proof answer to a rapidly evolving threat.
More information.
|
Hypersonic and directed-energy weapons: Who has them, and who's winning the race in the Asia-Pacific?
(posted: 15 March 2021)
A number of countries in the Asia-Pacific region are caught up in the global hypersonic and directed-energy weapons race, with these regional powers having either developed or publicly stated intentions to develop such technology.
Defense News has contacted regional government and military officials, businesses, and analysts to find out who is keeping pace in the worldwide contest.
More information.
|
Drone-killing, dune buggy-mounted laser gets tested overseas
(posted: 15 March 2021)
The U.S. Air Force is testing whether lasers mounted on the backs of dune buggies could be the counter-drone weapon the military needs.
The High Energy Laser Weapon System, or HELWS, uses directed energy to defeat incoming unmanned aerial systems - a threat that military leaders are increasingly concerned about. Drones can be small and incredibly mobile, making them difficult to hit with traditional weaponry. That's why the Air Force and others are looking to emerging technologies including lasers and microwave weapons as possible drone-stopping solutions.
More information.
|
Turkey eyes directed-energy weapons as key priority
(posted: 15 March 2021)
Turkey's top military commanders are pushing to prioritize directed-energy weapon programs following a decade's worth of industry development in the field, a senior military officer has told Defense News.
"In recent months there have been briefings to update the top command on DEW efforts. Satisfied with where we stand, the command has recommended to establish an understanding to give priority to DEW programs," the officer said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
More information.
|
Britain's 'Dragonfire' ship laser gun to get accuracy boost
(posted: 15 March 2021)
A ship-borne laser weapon being developed for the U.K. is edging closer to achieving pinpoint accuracy, and it is all being done with mirrors.
Launched in 2017, the U.K.'s Dragonfire laser program, led by missile house MBDA, will reach a milestone this spring when team member Leonardo delivers technology to the group to ensure the beam can strike a tiny target miles away.
More information.
|
Israel Seeks US Help On Lasers
(posted: 12 March 2021)
The Israeli Defense Ministry is seeking US funding and expertise for its air and missile defense lasers, especially in the generation of electrical power. Israel's current prototypes have achieved an output beam of "almost" 100 kilowatts, but the US is already exploring 300-kW weapons capable of killing cruise missiles.
More information.
|
The Pentagon Wants To Arm Drones With Non-Lethal Lasers And Microwave Cannon
(posted: 8 March 2021)
The U.S. military wants to arm small drones and manned vehicles with non-lethal weapons.
These devices would include exotic non-lethal gear, including directed energy weapons such as low-powered lasers and microwave beams, as well as more familiar weapons such as stun grenades and stink bombs. These weapons would equip aerial drones and manned and robotic ground vehicles, as well naval surface and underwater craft.
More information.
|
Mideast, European firms explore collaboration on high-energy lasers
(posted: 1 March 2021)
Two European companies and a Middle Eastern defense firm are exploring co-development opportunities in the field of high-energy laser weapons systems to destroy drones.
Electronic warfare and intelligence specialist SIGN4L, which is a subsidiary of Emirati defense industry conglomerate Edge, signed a memorandum of understanding with European missile-maker MBDA and French firm CILAS, a subsidiary of Ariane Group.
More information.
|
AFRL Pushes Laser "SHiELD" Flight Test Back, Again
(posted: 25 February 2021)
The Air Force Research Laboratory's experimental high-powered laser for aircraft self-defense will be revolutionary - if it can be made to work, experts say.
The first full-up flight test of the Self-Protect High Energy Laser Demonstrator (SHiELD) is now slated for 2024, Jeff Heggemeier, AFRL program manager, told Breaking D yesterday in an email. Some ground testing will be undertaken between now and then to "ensure system performance." AFRL originally planned a flight test in 2021, last summer they pushed the date out to 2023.
More information.
|
Air Force to begin assembly of airborne laser
(posted: 23 February 2021)
The Air Force Research Laboratory is set to receive the first major assembly of one subsystem needed for its airborne laser, although it's pushed back the first test to fiscal 2024.
The Self-Protect High Energy Laser Demonstrator (SHiELD) Advanced Technology Demonstration Program's goal is to build a laser weapon that can be installed on fighter jets to take out incoming missiles. The weapons system includes the laser under development by Lockheed Martin, a beam control system being developed by Northrop Grumman, and a pod to encase it all made by Boeing. Lockheed Martin was awarded a $26.3 million contract to design and build the laser.
More information.
|
Army partners with Air Force's THOR for base defense
(posted: 19 February 2021)
In an effort to counter the increasing threat posed by enemy drones and other airborne threats, the U.S. Army is making an investment in Directed Energy prototype technology, with the Tactical High Power Operational Responder, or THOR, system, developed at the Air Force Research Laboratory's Directed Energy Directorate at Kirtland AFB, playing a key role.
More information.
|
AFRL deploys Raytheon's HELWS anti-drone weapon overseas for operator training
(posted: 17 February 2021)
The Air Force has deployed Raytheon's High-Energy Laser Weapon System 2 -- a system designed to counter drone threats -- to an unidentified combatant command base abroad for operator training and an initial performance evaluation, the service announced in a press release today.
The assessment occurred in early September and included personnel from the Air Force Research Laboratory, 704th Test Group, Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation Center, AFRL's strategic development planning and experimentation office and Raytheon. Beforehand in July, the service conducted a weeklong test to ensure basic functionality and lethality.
More information.
|
Space Lasers Will Revolutionize Military Communications, If They Work
(posted: 18 February 2021)
Satellites that use lasers to exchange data promise to make military communications faster and harder to intercept - if the Pentagon can figure out how to make them work.
With plans to launch a 150-satellite constellation into low-earth orbit by September 2024, the two-year-old Space Development Agency is on a deadline. It has already released a communications standard to be used by four companies supplying the laser gear for a four-satellite experiment called tranche zero, agency director Derek Tournear said Tuesday at a Space Foundation event. And by August, Tournear expects to release a request for proposals that will spell out key details for the "more robust" standard needed for the 150-satellite tranche one.
More information.
|
Lasers Come to the Digital Battlefield in New Exercise
(posted: 5 February 2021)
Fighter pilots can't yet fire lasers on their real jets, but a new wargame series will let them try it out in cyberspace.
The Air Force Research Laboratory held its first Directed Energy Utility Concept Experiment (DEUCE) event Jan. 11-15 at Kirtland Air Force Base, N.M., according to a recent release.
Armed with computers and virtual reality headsets, F-16 pilots, F-15E weapon system officers, and an E-3 Airborne Warning and Control System air battle manager worked through various uses for an airborne laser against air-to-air and surface-to-air threats, Millay Petersen, interim program manager for the Self-Protect High-Energy Laser Demonstrator (SHiELD) project, said in a Feb. 4 email.
More information.
|
DoD Likely To Miss 2021 Deadline For Counter-Drone Weapon
(posted: 2 February 2021)
The Pentagon will choose a first round of industry-developed systems for shooting down small drones in early 2022, according to officials at the the Joint Counter-small Unmanned Aerial Systems Office (JCO).
That initial set of capabilities is known as "Low-Collateral Effects Increment No. 1," JCO Director Army Major Gen. Sean Gainey told reporters in a briefing today. The plan is to figure out what industry has "ready to deliver; ready to get it out to the field, pretty quickly."
More information.
|
Every Soldier a Drone Fighter: Plan Would Make Counter-UAS Training an Army Requirement
(posted: 2 February 2021)
The head of the Pentagon's counter-drone effort wants every soldier -- from cooks to riflemen -- trained to fight off swarms of enemy unmanned aerial systems, or UAS, capable of inflicting casualties on combat units.
The Army-led Joint Counter Small UAS Office, or JCO, completed its strategy in early January to combat the growing threat of small UAS being deployed against U.S. forces.
More information.
|
Rheinmetall And MBDA Win Contract For Naval Laser Weapons System
(posted: 28 January 2021)
Germany's Federal Office for Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology and In-Service Support (BAAINBw) has awarded a consortium, or ARGE, consisting of MBDA Deutschland GmbH and Rheinmetall Waffe Munition GmbH a contract to fabricate, integrate and support testing of a laser weapon demonstrator in the maritime environment.
More information.
|
Lockheed Martin delivers HELIOS laser weapon to U.S. Navy
(posted: 11 January 2021)
A long-awaited seaborne defensive laser weapon system known as HELIOS was delivered to the U.S. Navy for testing, builder Lockheed Martin announced on Monday.
The Navy is scheduled to test the 60kw High Energy Laser with Integrated Optical-dazzler and Surveillance, or HELIOS later this year, and will go to sea aboard an unnamed guided missile destroyer assigned to the Pacific Fleet.
More information.
|
Lasers harken a data revolution for space
(posted: 1 January 2021)
If you gaze upward on a clear night, it won't be long before you see the blinking lights of a passing satellite. Such a sight would have been rare a couple decades ago, but today nearly 3,000 active satellites orbit Earth, and many more spacecraft explore the solar system and beyond. In five years, there could be as many as 1,000 satellite launches annually.
More information.
|
Previous Wave Front
|
