Pentagon selects four directed-energy weapons for homeland counter-drone pilot program
The Pentagon's Joint Interagency Task Force 401 selected four directed-energy weapons for a congressionally mandated homeland counter-drone pilot program: AeroVironment's Palletized High-Energy Laser, Epirus' Leonidas high-powered microwave, Kord's Firefly high-energy laser, and Boeing's Compact Laser Weapon System. The systems will be tested at five U.S. military bases over one year to gather data on performance, cost, and maintenance. The pilot follows a July 2025 incident where an uncoordinated laser use near Fort Bliss prompted an FAA airspace closure over El Paso.
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Pentagon Counter-Drone Task Force Selects Four Directed Energy Systems for December Shoot-Off
The Pentagon's Joint Interagency Task Force 401 (JIATF 401) has selected four directed energy weapon systems for a December shoot-off at Dugway Proving Ground, Utah, to test lasers and microwave systems for defending U.S. military installations from aerial drone attacks. The selected systems are AeroVironment's Palletized High-Energy Laser, Epirus' Leonidas High-Powered Microwave, Kord Technologies' Firefly High-Energy Laser, and Boeing's Compact Laser Weapon. The pilot program is a congressional requirement in the 2026 National Defense Authorization Act. Army Brig. Gen. Matt Ross, director of JIATF 401, stated that high-energy lasers and high-powered microwaves are tools for a layered drone defense and that the pilot will test capabilities in an operational environment to understand integration and sustainment for homeland defense. The announcement follows a July 2025 incident where a military counter-drone laser prompted an FAA flight shutdown over El Paso, after which a safety risk assessment found the technology does not pose undue risk to passenger aircraft. JIATF 401 plans to evaluate additional directed energy technologies for the shoot-off. The Air Force is also pursuing counter-drone capabilities through its Small Unmanned Air Defense Systems (SUADS) program, requesting over $1.5 billion in the fiscal 2027 budget, though funding details for other systems remain undisclosed.
Pentagon Counter-Drone Task Force Selects Four Directed Energy Systems for December Shoot-Off
The Pentagon's Joint Interagency Task Force 401 (JIATF 401) has selected four directed energy weapon systems for a December shoot-off at Dugway Proving Ground, Utah, to test lasers and microwave systems for defending U.S. military installations from drone attacks. The pilot program, mandated by the 2026 National Defense Authorization Act, includes three laser weapons—AeroVironment's Palletized High-Energy Laser, Kord Technologies' Firefly High-Energy Laser, and Boeing's Compact Laser Weapon—and one high-powered microwave system, Epirus' Leonidas. Army Brig. Gen. Matt Ross, director of JIATF 401, stated that directed energy provides commanders with a scalable, safe option within a layered defense. The announcement follows a July 2025 incident where a military counter-drone laser prompted an FAA flight shutdown over El Paso, after which a joint safety assessment found the technology poses no undue risk to passenger aircraft. The Air Force is also pursuing counter-drone capabilities through its Small Unmanned Air Defense Systems (SUADS) program, requesting over $1.5 billion in the fiscal 2027 budget, though funding details for additional systems remain undisclosed.
Read sourcePentagon selects four directed-energy weapons for counter-drone pilot program at US bases
The Pentagon has named four directed-energy weapons for a homeland counter-drone pilot program, the first systems to be fielded and tested at U.S. military bases under a program ordered by Congress. The selected systems are AeroVironment's Palletized High-Energy Laser, Epirus' Leonidas high-powered microwave, Kord's Firefly high-energy laser, and Boeing's Compact Laser Weapon System. The pilot is run by Joint Interagency Task Force 401 (JIATF-401), an Army-led organization coordinating counter-drone work across military and federal agencies. Army Brig. Gen. Matt Ross, the task force director, stated that high-energy lasers and high-powered microwave systems are tools for layered drone defense, and the pilot will test these capabilities in an operational environment to understand integration and sustainment for homeland defense. The pilot will gather real-time data on performance, cost, and maintenance requirements. Five sites were selected in May: Fort Huachuca, Arizona; Fort Bliss, Texas; Naval Base Kitsap, Washington; Grand Forks Air Force Base, North Dakota; and Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri. The pilot is expected to run for a year, with service members operating the weapons. The announcement follows a rough start for lasers in domestic airspace, including an FAA airspace closure in El Paso, Texas, after a counter-drone laser was used near Fort Bliss without FAA coordination. Defense and FAA officials have since conducted live-fire demonstrations to address safety concerns.
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Pentagon selects four directed-energy weapons for counter-drone pilot at US bases
The Pentagon has named four directed-energy weapons for a homeland counter-drone pilot program, the first systems to be fielded and tested at U.S. military bases under a program ordered by Congress. The selected systems are AeroVironment's Palletized High-Energy Laser, Epirus' Leonidas high-powered microwave, Kord's Firefly high-energy laser, and Boeing's Compact Laser Weapon System. The pilot is run by Joint Interagency Task Force 401 (JIATF-401), an Army-led organization. Army Brig. Gen. Matt Ross, the task force director, stated that high-energy lasers and high-powered microwaves are tools for a layered drone defense and that the pilot will test these capabilities in an operational environment. The pilot will gather real-time data on performance, cost, and maintenance. Five sites were initially selected in May: Fort Huachuca, Fort Bliss, Naval Base Kitsap, Grand Forks Air Force Base, and Whiteman Air Force Base, though a later list from Ross differed. The pilot follows a rough start for lasers in domestic airspace, including an FAA airspace closure in El Paso after an uncoordinated laser use near Fort Bliss.
Pentagon names four directed-energy weapons for homeland counter-drone pilot program at US bases
The Pentagon announced on October 7, 2026, the selection of four directed-energy weapons for a homeland counter-drone pilot program ordered by Congress. The systems are AeroVironment's Palletized High-Energy Laser, Epirus' Leonidas high-powered microwave, Kord's Firefly high-energy laser, and Boeing's Compact Laser Weapon System. The pilot, run by Joint Interagency Task Force 401 (JIATF-401), will test these systems at five U.S. bases: Fort Huachuca, Arizona; Fort Bliss, Texas; Naval Base Kitsap, Washington; Grand Forks Air Force Base, North Dakota; and Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri. Army Brig. Gen. Matt Ross, the task force director, stated that high-energy lasers and high-powered microwaves can be effectively used in a layered drone defense. The pilot will gather real-time data on performance, cost, and maintenance requirements over a one-year period. The article notes that cost is a key selling point for these systems, though Ross expressed skepticism about per-shot cost calculations alone. The pilot follows a February 2026 incident where a counter-drone laser was used near Fort Bliss without FAA coordination, leading to a temporary airspace closure.