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The US Air Force is testing its prototype drone-killing microwave, the Tactical High Power Microwave Operational Responder (THOR), “in a real-world setting” in Africa.
This was announced by Richard Joseph, the Air Force’s chief scientist.
This is necessary since Iran and its allies frequently use drones and drone swarms, this is necessary development that needs to take place, but a bit away from the Middle East, so as not to risk an escalation.
A May report by RAND Corporation’s Project Air Force also raised an alarm on growing base threats.
“The gap between the cruise missile threat and the U.S. joint force’s capacity and capability to counter the threat is particularly worrisome. Constraints on resources and Army prioritization of mobile short-range air defenses for forward forces suggest that shortfalls in air base air defenses are likely to continue unless U.S. Department of Defense force planning and posture decisions give higher priority to these point defenses.”
“We have recently deployed a test system to Africa for base defense … based on a microwave system. And the purpose is to be able to disrupt and destroy the performance of drones or swarms of drones,” he told the Mitchell Institute today. “It’s been tested extensively, works remarkably well. … I’ve watched it in action and it’s really quite impressive.”
He didn’t provide any details as to when the THOR would specifically be ready for deployment, however.
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Joseph said THOR was “better than anything else” the service has right now, and noted that “the capabilities that can be incorporated in system are increasing day by day.”
The Air Force back in August was readying THOR for overseas field experiments.
THOR uses high-powered microwaves to fry drones’ electronics, shooting swarms out of the sky at short ranges. If anti-drone lasers are like sniper rifles, microwave weapons are like shotguns full of birdshot.
THOR was designed by the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), and it uses a radar that AFRL bought from Idaho-based startup Black Sage last month.
“THOR is a directed energy game-changer,” said Dr. Kelly Hammett, AFRL’s Directed Energy director, back in April 2020.
“Drones are becoming more and more pervasive and can be used as weapons intended to cause harm to our military bases at long standoff ranges. We built the THOR weapon system as a deterrent against these type threats. THOR with its counter electronic technology can take down swarms of drones in rapid fire. This capability will be an amazing asset to our warfighters and the nation’s defense,” said Hammett.
“The overseas field assessments are allowing us to understand directed energy as a capability against drones. This gives us a better picture of the military utility, reliability and sustainability, training requirements and implementation with existing base defense,” said Dr. Michael Jirjis, the Base Defense Experimentation director of the Air Force Strategic Development Planning & Experimentation (SDPE) Office.
Jirjis said the 12-month assessment of the directed energy weapon system would shape the Air Force’s future program of how to integrate the new weapon system on military bases.
It appears that the US is steadily improving its capabilities when it comes to the microwave weapon and the fight against drones, which would likely come in handy if the situation in the Middle East were to escalate.
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if this performs as pitifully as the newest US carrier, as reported at anti-empire.com then US will soon be required to surrender to Antifa/LGBT army and disintegrate into numerous narco, multi gender mini nations
We have seen how pathetic russian weapons are.Indian airforce mig wasnt able to shoot down pakistan air force f16 bcoz of those junk russian missiles.Thats why we started buying weapons from france,israel and the usa.
Actually Indian air force performs better. Only junk here is you and your fellow hasbarats fake hindu.
Yup thanks to our pilots and western weapons.Russian weapons were really good in the 90s.But honestly russia has lost its edge in conventional weapons.
You can’t steEr for sht thats you problem not russias,hows you apple $6.79 pm salary by the way and to think with such insolent comments make bring you success? Don’t insult intellects, india smoked usa 11-1 and the uk 10-0 in simulated dogfights ok,obviously fails linked to sabotage and not pakistan lost a F16 – FACT:
Stop calling me and others with your frauds.
You keep spelling the U.S. wrong tho…
Russia spends a fraction of what western countries spend on weapon projects and still challenges them , So I think it’s amazing that 1 country can challenge all NATO countries .
That lost edge had everyone at the pentagon crapping themselves 6-12 months ago with release of new Russian missile technology.
Junk Russian missiles? India just ordered 700 million million package of 300 R73 and R77 missiles from Russia.
Indian will change the label as made in india.
indian pilots only learn how to use rickshaw and fly kites..u need more sihks to control untouchable doo doo
Buy the weapons from the isreali apartheid regime. They are tested on innocent civilians and known to work.
Maybe the strike failure is down to crappy pilots?
Navy arseholes will get very loose after the coup by LGBT army.
LMFAO, “in a real-world setting” in Africa…
Real world often starts with small pilot projekts and partly in secret.
Another, yet another, fraud against taxpayers? oh yes.
USA decide that by election and voting. Hard times for You not getting free bread and toys from UNICEF.
Here’s the US developing yet another ‘game changer’ that just happens to mirror developments in Russia a couple of decades ago.
By the powers granted to me via South Front, I here by Christen thee ‘the US krasukha’, lest anyone be confused as to your inspiration ‘O little container sized microwave.
I don’t think Jaming is equal to this. Jaming was since USSR.
They still need their own versions of the TOR, Pantasir etc for a layered defense to aim at and shoot down drones in concert with this weapon. From the looks of it this microwave weapon can’t down drones in all directions at the same time. A big weakness and ti will get swarmed easily.
The US have yet to test these new ‘developments’ against a determined opponent sending swarms of attack drones. The Russian admin already has that experience. Necessity is the mother of invention.
Everyone knows if it’s stamped “Made in America” it’s pure trash, rubbish…..they’re quite good at rigging elections though !
Its not for testing. They are afraid China will overrun their bases in Africa if Trump stays President. This tech is already operational and deployed. They could test it in the Nevada desert too… Read between the lines…
Chna is suffering from population decline and food shortage.It is China that fears the usa not the other way around.
iq your shoesize,stick to your $6.79 p/m apple job and do as your told,sukrr!
Cool disney story. Meanwhile Chinese has 1.35billion people and the U.S. has a 100million people on food aid… Better luck next time Shlomo.
Oh no …. population decline in China!! So what … they’re down from a million from 1.393 billion to 1.392 billion? How will the Chinese race survive with a breeding stock of only 1.392 billion? Oh the humanity!!!
Last i heard your farmer is massing a strike.
lying LGBT untouchable China zero extreme poverty…1.5 % poverty India worse than USA
That population decline could be reversed in just nine months. Not much of a crisis.
Perhaps your time online would be better spent by doing all you can to support your local farmers in India who are about to lose their land due to big business and corruption.
Time to fry some russian junk lol.
Lay down the crack Shlomo ?
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gimp slave has no truth,go back to your $6.79 p’m job slave,you don’t qualify anythiung higher!
pink hindoo insecure untouchable except by boyfriend
Is the troll Indian? it could be any nationality.
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I don’t know how effective this will be against drones but within a hundred mile radius not a single kernel of popcorn will be left unpopped.
“Russia Says Its New Microwave Cannon Can Kill Drones and Warheads with Ease The Kremlin claims it can fry the skies from a distance of six miles
BY ERIC LIMER JUN 16, 2015” This was five years ago. 6 miles is many times the distance of the American drone killer.
“Engagement of UAS at ranges less than 2 km”, not even 1 mile.
They should test how to run a country for once in a while.
too boring, they need to satisfy their bloodlust somehow LOL
probably shit like f-35
United States…always producing weapons not allowed by Physics! I am still waiting for the “Death Star”, now that US has a “Space Force”, based in Qatar! hahahaha