Air Force set to build advanced directed-energy weapon that uses radio waves to defeat unmanned swarms

Aug. 17, 2021
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KIRTLAND AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. – The U.S. Air Force seeks prototypes for a microwave-based anti-drone system to be called Mjolnir, referring to the mythical hammer of Thor. UPI reports. Continue reading original article

The Military & Aerospace Electronics take:

17 Aug. 2021 -- The Air Force Research Laboratory's Directed Energy Directorate at Kirtland Air Force Base, N.M., will build an advanced version of its THOR, or Tactical High-Powered Operational Responder, which uses "bursts of intense radio waves to disable small unmanned aircraft systems instantly," Air Force officials say.

The Mjolnir prototype to defeat unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) will use the same technology, but is expected to offer increased capability, reliability, and manufacturing readiness. The technology is housed in a 20-foot-long shipping container that can be stowed in a military cargo plane and quickly assembled by two people.

THOR is a prototype directed energy weapon used to disable the electronics in drones, and is designed to counter multiple targets, such as swarms of drones. The technology is housed in a 20-foot-long shipping container that can be stowed in a military cargo plane and quickly assembled by two people.

Related: The new world of counter-drone technology

Related: Military re-learns the importance of electronic warfare (EW)

Related: The new era of high-power electromagnetic weapons

John Keller, chief editor
Military & Aerospace Electronics

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