Systems could be ordered immediately after the demonstration
The Pentagon’s task force responsible for countering drone threats plans to conduct a live-fire demonstration of directed-energy weapons in December. Systems that deliver convincing results could be purchased immediately, according to the organization’s director.
Army Brig. Gen. Matt Ross, head of Joint Interagency Task Force 401, said the demonstration would be structured so that identifying effective systems could lead directly to purchase orders, enabling production lines to be established and equipment to be fielded rapidly.
“We’re going to run a directed-energy shoot-off in December,” Ross said during a media roundtable in Alexandria, Virginia.
If officials identify weapons that perform effectively, the event could be followed by immediate procurement actions designed to accelerate production and deployment.
Five military sites selected for the pilot program
The pilot program was launched by JIATF-401 in May and involves testing directed-energy systems at five military facilities. The evaluation will focus primarily on lasers and high-powered microwave weapons.
The Pentagon is interested in these technologies because they could provide a relatively inexpensive and effective means of defeating drones. Unmanned systems have repeatedly approached U.S. military facilities and have been used in attacks against American installations overseas.
Established last year, JIATF-401 coordinates federal efforts to rapidly field counter-drone technologies across all operational domains.
Directed energy faces operational and regulatory challenges
U.S. officials are still assessing how relatively new directed-energy systems can be used safely and effectively.
One of the most demanding applications is homeland defense, where lasers and similar weapons must operate under strict airspace, aviation safety and civilian protection requirements.
An incident earlier this year highlighted those challenges. An apparent communication failure involving a laser test led the Federal Aviation Administration to temporarily close airspace over El Paso, Texas.
Since then, military officials have emphasized the need for continuous coordination with the FAA. Those efforts resulted in a joint agreement for the use of a laser system to protect the southern U.S. border.
Base commanders must understand the impact on their own operations
Gen. Matt Ross stressed that military leaders must understand not only the advantages of directed-energy weapons, but also how the systems could affect the facilities they are intended to defend.
Exercises under the pilot program will help establish the tactics, techniques and procedures required to use the weapons without disrupting a base’s essential functions.
“We need to develop the tactics, techniques and procedures to use them on a base in a way that does not impede the critical functions of that base. I don’t want to shut down the airspace as I use those systems,” Ross said.
Cost per shot is not the only measure
Another goal of the program is to determine the true cost of directed-energy weapons. Although such systems are generally associated with a low cost per engagement compared with missiles and other interceptors, their acquisition and operation can still be expensive.
Ross warned that the full operating lifecycle must be considered rather than focusing only on the energy used for each shot.
He offered a hypothetical example: if a system costs $6 million and is used once a year, it would be misleading to claim that each engagement costs only a few cents. The initial investment, maintenance, training and required infrastructure must all be included in the final calculation.
Counter-drone defense extends beyond military bases
The counter-drone mission is not limited to U.S. military installations. Major sporting competitions and large public events also require close coordination between government agencies.
The recent World Cup tournament in the United States demonstrated the scale of the challenge. According to the FAA, more than 700 drones were seized during the event.
However, Steven Willoughby, executive director of the Department of Homeland Security’s program executive office for unmanned aerial systems and counter-UAS capabilities, noted that local authorities will bear primary responsibility for defending the country’s extensive critical infrastructure.
The United States has a vast network of essential facilities, and responsibility for protecting all of them cannot rest exclusively with the FBI or the Department of Homeland Security.
Local authorities must be trained and empowered
The federal government has begun training law enforcement agencies in counter-drone operations through a newly established program.
Willoughby emphasized that federal agencies can provide support to local governments when necessary, but the protection of jurisdictions, communities and critical infrastructure must become a standard responsibility for state and local authorities.
“This has to be normalized to the point where state and local officials are enabled, resourced and empowered to protect their jurisdictions, their constituents and their critical infrastructure from drone threats,” he said.
