Raytheon high-power microwave system for USAF
Raytheon is to deliver a prototype high-power microwave (HPM) system to the US Air Force under a contract announced on 24 September.
The system will be deployed to troops overseas and used to destroy hostile drones.
The HPM system uses directed energy to defeat hostile drones with a wide beam that can disable multiple targets at one time.
The contract follows a separate contract under which Raytheon will build two prototype high-energy laser (HEL) systems, also to be deployed overseas. The HPM and HEL systems can be used independently or together to challenge UAS threats.
Thomas Bussing, Raytheon Advanced Missile Systems vice president, said: ‘There’s more than one way to defeat a drone. We are delivering the world’s first defensive directed energy systems that can be used alone or in tandem to defeat enemy drones at the speed of light.’
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