U.S. Army to Test Microwave Drone-Swarm Killer

It was reported on c4isrnet.com that the US Army will field-test a new microwave weapon designed to protect military bases from incoming drones as early as 2024, following an on-site demonstration at Kirtland Air Force Base in New Mexico, officials said.  The Air Force Research Laboratory’s Tactical High Power Operational Responder (THOR) was developed for air base defense.
Army Lt. Gen. L. Neil Thurgood said he watched the weapon’s system on the base earlier this month and that the service’s investment in microwave and laser weapons addresses a growing problem that requires new tools to defend troops and infrastructure. “The Army’s directed-energy capabilities will need to provide a layered defense with multiple ways to defeat incoming threats,” Thurgood said. “High-energy lasers kill one target at a time, and high-powered microwaves can kill groups or swarms, which is why we are pursuing a combination of both technologies.” Story and photo courtesy of the U.S. Air Force and c4isrnet.com.