⚡️ US developing microwave weapons to destroy drones and missiles at light speed

Raytheon is developing rugged, transportable directed energy systems that can annihilate hostile drones and missiles near-instantly via precise beams of microwave radiation.

Authorized under an almost $32 million Pentagon contract, the high-power microwave antenna prototypes will destroy airborne targets by overloading delicate electronics at light speed upon locking on.

With historic expertise in the field, Raytheon intends the systems to deploy with US forces and assets and counter the escalating threat from aerial weapons. Learn more about their capabilities in today’s Must Read.

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The Pentagon has commissioned defense firm Raytheon to design a pair of transportable high-power microwave antenna systems, dubbed DEFEND, for obliterating aerial threats. The directed energy weapons will track targets and engage them at the speed of light by frying sensitive electronics using focused microwave beams.

Building on decades of high-power microwave (HPM) technology experience, Raytheon aims to supply the lethal yet non-kinetic systems to the Navy and Air Force within the next few years. With drones and missiles presenting persistent threats worldwide, these rapid-response microwave emitters would offer US forces the versatile protection they need to defend against intensifying aerial attacks.

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