Air Force Investigating Microwave Bursts to Take Out Drone Swarms

Submitted by tatwood on Thu, 05/20/2021 - 11:43

UAV swarms carrying explosives or surveillance gear are notable threats on the battlefield.  As reported by Military & Aerospace Electronics, the Air Force is investigating neutralizing drone swarms with high-power microwave bursts.

“To defeat swarms like this, the US military is developing THOR, or the Tactical High Power Operational Responder. Built for the Air Force Research Laboratory, THOR is one way that bases or other military installations might defend themselves against aerial robots traveling in groups.  …Instead of using bullets or explosions to disable robots, THOR attacks their electronics by hitting the gaggle with high-power microwaves. The effect can vary, from temporarily impairing their ability to communicate to frying the electronics and destroying machines in the swarm.”

Thanks to CDR David Place (USN/Ret), davidplace47[at]gmail[dot]com, and Robin E. Alexander, President ATC, alexander technical[at]gmail[dot]com, for their assistance with this report, the background for which appeared in their  # 21 - 13 - 18 MAY 2021 edition of the UNMANNED SYSTEMS NEWS (USN).

David distributes the USN, a free, comprehensive newsletter in PDF format every week or two, as well as serial news flashes, from which this NREF news update was sourced. To be included in his distribution, simply send David a subscribe request to davidplace47[at]gmail[dot]com