US Army poised to funnel additional dollars towards directed energy weapons

Senior US Army leaders have signed off on a comprehensive directed energy plan that calls for the service to increase investments and accelerate development of laser and high-power microwave technologies, according to Under Secretary Ryan McCarthy.

McCarthy sat down with reporters on 29 May to discuss a breadth of topics including a plan by Lieutenant General Neil Thurgood, the head of the army’s Rapid Capabilities and Critical Technologies Office, to consolidate and accelerate various directed energy lines of effort.

McCarthy said that senior army leaders have now approved this plan, which lines up how they will feed directed energy capabilities into various development portfolios – like next-generation combat vehicle and Future Vertical Lift – over the next five to ten years. When the army unveils its forthcoming fiscal year 2021 (FY 2021) budget request, it will include plans to ramp up directed energy investments over the coming five years.

Boeing has mounted its Compact Laser Weapon System on a Joint Light Tactical Vehicle. As industry pitches directed energy solutions to the US services, the army is set to increase spending in this arena. (Boeing)

“We’re trying to pursue a 50 kW on a Stryker, so we are going to get more aggressive there,” he furthered.

While industry is touting the near-term applications of directed energy weapons to shoot down incoming unmanned aircraft systems (UASs), the service is still grappling with when the technology will be mature enough for missile defence applications. McCarthy noted that while this is a question Lt Gen Thurgood is still examining, he will “bring forward some ideas”.