Pentagon Launches Pilot Program for Directed Energy Systems to Counter Drones at Military Installations
The Pentagon's counter-drone task force has announced a pilot program to deploy directed energy systems at five military installations across the United States. This initiative, led by Joint Interagency Task Force 401, aims to enhance the defense against unmanned aerial systems (UAS) by integrating advanced technology into the military's counter-drone strategy. The selected sites for this program include Fort Huachuca in Arizona, Fort Bliss in Texas, Naval Base Kitsap in Washington, Grand Forks Air Force Base in North Dakota, and Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri. These locations were chosen to test the systems in diverse environments and mission contexts. The program will focus on high-energy lasers and microwave systems, which are considered effective for homeland defense due to their minimal risk to personnel and infrastructure. This announcement follows a recent laser test conducted by the Pentagon and the Federal Aviation Administration to address safety concerns related to counter-UAS systems. 
