US, Japan Eye Joint Development of High-Powered Microwave Weapons
The US and Japan are planning to collaborate on the development of high-powered microwave weapons to defend against hostile drones.
The defense technology and acquisition agencies of both countries are reportedly on the verge of signing an agreement amid increasing threats in the Indo-Pacific.
The deal could include up to three years of research into the effective application of such a counter-drone system, according to local media reports.
Microwave weapons are designed to deliver high-powered, short bursts of electromagnetic waves to destroy or degrade a drone’s electrical components.
The US Air Force possesses one known as the Tactical High-Power Operational Responder (THOR), which shot down a swarm of drones in a 2023 trial.
Learning From Ongoing Conflicts
The move to jointly develop counter-drone weapons is not surprising, considering that both Washington and Tokyo are closely monitoring current geopolitical conflicts.
The proliferation of drones in the Russia-Ukraine war has spurred many countries to invest in unmanned platforms to gain a tactical advantage in future battles.
Persistent drone attacks by Iran-backed militants on US military bases in the Middle East also call for improved and cheaper counter-drone solutions.
Though details about the joint venture are still limited, military analysts expect that it will focus on reducing the amount of energy the weapon needs to take down enemy drones and making it an inexpensive, man-portable system.
“We have seen in Ukraine that a $100 drone can knock out a multimillion-dollar weapon system, so the challenge now is to develop an asymmetric way of countering drones just as inexpensively,” Japan-based defense expert Garren Mulloy said.
In April 2024, Pentagon undersecretary for acquisition William LaPlante said current efforts to take out hostile drones exceed $100,000 per shot.
