Lasers & Microwaves Defeat Drones in MFIX Event (See in Action, Videos)

By
Tammy Waitt
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The vehicle-mounted laser combines a solid state laser with an advanced variant of the company’s Multi-Spectral Targeting System™ and installed them on a small, all-terrain Polaris militarized vehicle. (Image courtesy of Raytheon)
The vehicle-mounted laser combines a solid state laser with an advanced variant of the company’s Multi-Spectral Targeting System™ and installed them on a small, all-terrain Polaris militarized vehicle. (Image courtesy of Raytheon)

Forty-five unmanned aerial vehicles and drones fell out of the sky after Raytheon’s  advanced high-power microwave and laser dune buggy engaged destroyed them during a U.S. Army Maneuver Fires Integrated Experiment (MFIX) at the U.S. Army Fires Center of Excellence.

The MFIX event brought military and industry leaders together to demonstrate ways to bridge the Army’s capability gaps in long-range fires and maneuver short-range air defense.

Raytheon’s high energy laser, or HEL, system identified, tracked, engaged and killed 12 airborne, maneuvering Class I and II UAVs, and destroyed six stationary mortar projectiles.

(See Raytheon’s high-energy laser takes out an unmanned aerial system from nearly a mile away. Courtesy of Raytheon and YouTube. Posted on Mar 6, 2018)

The vehicle-mounted laser combines a solid state laser with an advanced variant of the company’s Multi-Spectral Targeting System™ and installed them on a small, all-terrain Polaris militarized vehicle.

The system delivers 300 seconds of invisible, precise and instantaneous energy and five hours of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) from a single charge.

Coupled with the generator, the HEL weapon system provides military members with counter-UAV capabilities and a virtually unlimited magazine.

Also during the U.S. Army exercise, Raytheon’s high-power microwave system engaged multiple UAV swarms, downing 33 drones, two and three at a time.

(From Sept. 30-Oct. 3, 2013, Raytheon’s high-power microwave shot down multiple tier one and tier two drones during a U.S. Army live fire exercise at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. The high-power microwave uses speed-of-light technology to disrupt and down unmanned aircraft systems. In this video, the system shoots down a Flanker tier one UAS. Courtesy of Raytheon and YouTube. Posted on Mar 19, 2018)

Dr. Thomas Bussing, Raytheon vice president of Advanced Missile Systems
Dr. Thomas Bussing, Raytheon vice president of Advanced Missile Systems

“The speed and low cost per engagement of directed energy is revolutionary in protecting our troops against drones,” said Dr. Thomas Bussing, Raytheon Advanced Missile Systems vice president.

“We have spent decades perfecting the high-power microwave system, which may soon give our military a significant advantage against this proliferating threat.”

Raytheon and the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory worked together under a $2 million contract to test and demonstrate high-power microwave, counter-UAV capabilities.

The directed energy system emits an adjustable energy beam that, when aimed at airborne targets such as drones, renders them unable to fly. (Image courtesy of Raytheon)
The directed energy system emits an adjustable energy beam that, when aimed at airborne targets such as drones, renders them unable to fly. (Image courtesy of Raytheon)

“Our customer needed a solution, and they needed it fast,” added Dr. Ben Allison, director of Raytheon’s HEL product line.

“So, we took what we’ve learned and combined it with combat-proven components to rapidly deliver a small, self-contained and easily deployed counter-UAV system.”

Raytheon logoRaytheon provides innovative laser weapon systems with 360 degree coverage for sea, land and air applications, with technologies that identify, track, and defend against enemy missiles, mortars, unmanned vehicles, swarming boat attacks and other “close-in” defense situations.

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