Feb. 25, 2022

Dahlgren Focuses Energy Weapons on Target

The U.S. Navy has been researching and perfecting directed energy weapons to include railguns, high-powered microwaves and lasers, along with hypervelocity projectiles — to make futuristic weapons a reality on ships today. The Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren Division in Dahlgren, Virginia, has been leading the way in creating capabilities to give warfighters a high-tech advantage at sea, to include directed energy weapons.

Feb. 25, 2022

AFRL awards contract for drone killer, Mjölnir; brings new drone “hammer” to the fight

The Air Force Research Laboratory has awarded a contract for Mjölnir, a next-generation counter electronics weapon system, to defend against adversarial drone activity, to Leidos Inc. Building upon the success of the Tactical High-Power Operational Responder (THOR) technology demonstrator, Leidos will build an advanced high power microwave (HPM) weapon system to bring the newest technology to bear against the growing threat from unmanned aircraft.

Feb. 17, 2022

NSWCDD Develops Safer Weapons Alternative

Videos of U.S. military personnel stopping drug-smuggling boats are exhilarating and frightening. They are not Hollywood movies but real-life, dangerous encounters on the high seas. In each of those instances, the use of force applies. The High Power Microwave (HPM) Weapon Systems Division at Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren Division (NSWCDD) makes those encounters safer for everyone involved.

Feb. 15, 2022

AFRL holds directed, kinetic energy wargaming experiment

The Air Force Research Laboratory’s Directed Energy Directorate recently hosted a collaborative wargame with its sister AFRL unit, the Munitions Directorate, at Kirtland Air Force Base. The Directed Energy and Kinetic Energy Directed Energy Utility Concept Experiment, or DEKE DEUCE, explored synergies between directed energy and kinetic concepts in the future battlespace.

Feb. 14, 2022

Kentucky Soldiers conduct riot control training in Germany

Soldiers assigned to Kentucky Army National Guard’s 1st Battalion, 149th Infantry Regiment, 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 29th Infantry Division, reacted to improvised incendiary weapons during multinational fire phobia training at the Joint Multinational Readiness Center Feb. 11. The training, hosted by members of the Slovenian military, involved reacting to Molotov cocktails and simulated rioting during a mission rehearsal exercise before the 1-149th Infantry Battalion’s deployment to the Balkan region. The Slovenian military familiarized the Kentucky Soldiers with tactics to respond to riots and civil unrest should they encounter such a situation while deployed.

Feb. 8, 2022

DARPA Seeks Next-Gen Scalable Laser Weapon Systems

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has issued a request for scalable, high-energy laser (HEL) technology proposals to build a new generation of laser weapon systems. The proposed five-year, $60 million Modular Efficient Laser Technology (MELT) initiative categorically excludes research aimed at improving current technologies, requesting “revolutionary advances in devices.”

Feb. 7, 2022

SECAF, CSAF visit 16 AF to discuss gray zone-focused competition

Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall and Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. CQ Brown, Jr. visited 16th Air Force (Air Forces Cyber) Feb. 2 to learn more about the numbered air force’s capabilities in gray zone warfare.