US to test METEOR microwave weapon in 2016

The US Navy plans to test a prototype microwave air defence system on one of its vessels in 2026.

Here's What We Know

USNI News, citing Navy budget documents, noted that METEOR will be the first high-power microwave (HPM) project to counter both drones and anti-ship missiles.

The US Army and the US Air Force are already working on their own HPM projects in addition to others, such as directed energy weapons (lasers).

However, laser weapons, which melt and burn a target, no longer look as promising today. In contrast, a microwave system can produce a range of effects from disrupting or destroying a target's electronics to something more. The publication notes that a wider beam also has an advantage over a laser, as it can deal with multiple targets, such as a swarm of drones, more quickly.

Source: USNI News