Pentagon names 4 directed-energy weapons for counter-drone program at US bases

Which four directed-energy systems did the Pentagon select for its homeland counter-drone pilot?

The Pentagon chose four directed-energy systems for a homeland counter-drone pilot. The selections are AeroVironment’s Palletized High-Energy Laser, Epirus’ Leonidas high-powered microwave, Kord’s Firefly high-energy laser, and Boeing’s Compact Laser Weapon System. They are the first systems the military will field and test at U.S. bases under the congressionally ordered program.

The mix matters because the weapons use two different approaches. Lasers concentrate energy on a drone until it is damaged or destroyed. Leonidas uses a high-powered microwave burst that can overwhelm drone electronics, potentially affecting several drones at once. The article describes the systems as tools for layered drone defense.

Joint Interagency Task Force 401 is running the pilot with military services, U.S. Northern Command, and the FAA. Testing will collect real-world data on performance, operating and maintenance needs, and total costs. The article does not identify which system will go to each base.

What is a directed-energy weapon, and how does it disable a drone without firing a conventional projectile?

A directed-energy weapon attacks with concentrated electromagnetic energy rather than a conventional projectile. The Pentagon pilot covers high-energy lasers and a high-powered microwave. This matters because the systems may offer another layer of homeland drone defense without firing missiles or gun rounds.

A laser focuses light on one drone and keeps the beam there until the target is damaged or burned through. A microwave system sends a powerful electromagnetic burst that can overwhelm a drone’s electronics. The article says Leonidas may thwart a swarm in one burst, while a laser generally dwells on one drone at a time.

These weapons still have practical limits. Laser performance depends on keeping energy on the target long enough, and lower-power lasers need more time. Microwaves affect a wider area, raising concerns about nearby systems. The yearlong pilot will measure performance, costs, and operating and maintenance demands in real conditions.

How large is the pilot program—how many bases are involved, how long will it run, and how many weapons will be deployed?

The pilot involves five installations: Fort Huachuca and Fort Bliss, tied to the southern border mission; Naval Base Kitsap; Grand Forks Air Force Base; and Whiteman Air Force Base. Joint Interagency Task Force 401 is coordinating the effort with the military services, U.S. Northern Command, and the FAA.

Service members are expected to operate and maintain the weapons during the pilot. Army Brig. Gen. Matt Ross said in August that the effort would run for a year. Officials previously said deployment plans would be worked out with installation commanders over 180 days, with operations expected later this year.

The program’s exact weapon count remains undisclosed. Monday’s Pentagon release does not say which system will go to each installation, how many of each system will be fielded, or what the weapons and pilot will cost. The test is designed to gather real-time evidence before broader decisions about integration and sustainment.

How do high-energy lasers and high-powered microwaves differ in the kinds of drone threats they can defeat?

High-energy lasers and high-powered microwaves address different drone problems. A laser concentrates energy on one target and stays there until the drone is burned through. This makes it suited to engaging individual drones, although the beam must remain on target long enough to cause damage.

A high-powered microwave works differently. It sends a burst that overwhelms drone electronics, so it can potentially thwart a swarm at once. The article identifies Epirus’ Leonidas as the pilot’s only microwave system. Its wider footprint is part of the appeal, but also creates concern about effects on nearby systems.

The pilot will test how these differences work in operational settings. Boeing’s lower-power laser may need longer dwell time, while Kord officials said a truck-mounted Firefly typically needs a few seconds on a small drone. The program will help determine how the systems fit into layered defense and can be sustained.

Why is the Pentagon testing real-world operating, maintenance, and total system costs instead of relying only on the low cost of each shot?

Low firing cost is a major reason to test directed-energy weapons. The article says a laser or microwave shot costs a fraction of a missile or even a gun round. Neither leaves unexploded ordnance on the ground. Those advantages could matter during repeated drone attacks, but they do not reveal the full cost of using the system.

The pilot will measure more than energy consumed during a firing. It will gather real-time data on performance, operating expenses, maintenance demands, and the cost of the complete system. Personnel must operate and maintain the weapons at the bases, and those requirements affect affordability and readiness.

Ross rejected simple per-shot comparisons. He said a system costing $6 million that fires once annually cannot honestly be described as costing only 8 cents per shot. The yearlong test should show whether the systems deliver useful protection often enough to justify procurement, staffing, upkeep, and deployment costs.

Why must these weapons be coordinated with the FAA, and what problem occurred when a counter-drone laser was used near Fort Bliss?

The Pentagon says Joint Interagency Task Force 401 is coordinating the pilot with the FAA, along with the military services and U.S. Northern Command. The supplied article does not explain the specific FAA issue or describe an aviation incident. A likely reason, based on the FAA’s role in U.S. aviation, would be coordinating operations around aircraft and airspace, but that explanation is general context rather than a fact stated here.

The article identifies Fort Bliss as one of five pilot sites and ties it to the southern border mission. It does not mention a counter-drone laser being used near Fort Bliss, nor does it report a resulting problem. Therefore, no factual account of that incident can be supplied from the provided text.

The article does say deployment plans would be developed with installation commanders over 180 days. Operations were expected later that year. The FAA’s involvement indicates coordination is part of planning, while the specific safety or airspace arrangements remain unstated.

What physical principles allow concentrated light to burn through a drone or microwaves to overwhelm its electronics, and what limits their effectiveness?

A high-energy laser works by concentrating light on a small area. The absorbed energy produces intense heating, which can damage or burn through a drone when the beam remains focused long enough. A high-powered microwave uses electromagnetic energy at radio or microwave frequencies. A strong burst can induce unwanted electrical effects and overwhelm a drone’s onboard electronics without striking it physically.

The article gives practical examples of these mechanisms. It says lasers dwell on one drone at a time, while microwaves can thwart a swarm in one burst. Boeing’s lower-power CLWS must generally stay on a target longer than a more powerful laser. Epirus’ Leonidas can affect a wider area, but that raises concern about nearby systems.

Effectiveness therefore depends on power, dwell time, target behavior, and the surrounding environment. The article does not detail weather, range, or shielding limits. Its pilot will provide operational data on performance, costs, operation, and maintenance before wider decisions.

Key Facts:

📌 AeroVironment’s Palletized High-Energy Laser is one selected system.

📌 Epirus’ Leonidas is the pilot’s only microwave system.

📌 Boeing’s Compact Laser Weapon System is a lower-power laser.

📌 Lasers dwell on one drone until they burn through it.

📌 Microwaves can overwhelm drone electronics in a burst.

📌 Neither method leaves unexploded ordnance on the ground.

📌 Five installations were selected for the pilot.