Directed energy weapons bring a substantial advantage to the United States military for both offensive and defensive systems. We’ve got all the details.
Directed energy might be a foreign concept for many casual viewers of military technology. Watching footage on the news often showcases the destructive might of explosive munitions, monstrously large machine guns, and vehicular technology that dominates the theater of battle (whether in the air, on land, or at sea). But directed energy weapons are equally important in the U.S. military’s arsenal and often underappreciated by the uninitiated. Simply put, directed energy weapons are those that employ lasers, microwaves, and other technologies to offer a potent defensive solution in the field. Directed energy weapons help keep soldiers, sailors, and aircrews safe. Northrup Grumman, Lockheed Martin, and many other defense contractors have been developing increasingly more sophisticated tools in this arena for five decades.
One of the more prominent historical examples of this defensive toolbox came from Ronald Reagan’s ill-fated « Star Wars » Program. Officially dubbed the Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI) and unveiled in March 1983, the program’s mission was to create a space-based defensive network that could shield the United States from long-range missile attacks. Utilizing physical projectiles, laser devices, and other shielding technologies, the team behind the initiative worked to create an effective means of intercepting long-range missiles before they entered U.
