Tongdao Think Tank 2024-02-06 11:41 Hebei.
Raytheon's "Chimera" microwave has successfully demonstrated its ability to track and suppress low-cost airborne threat targets, marking a key development of point defense solutions against kamikaze drones, according to Asia Times on February 5.
This experimental microwave** successfully tracks and maintains a high-power beam against a variety of static and air targets, marking a significant step toward point defense** that can damage or shoot down incoming missiles or their electronics.
The successful development of directed energy** (DEW) could result in significant cost savings for U.S. defense. The U.S. Navy has been using the multimillion-dollar Standard 2 missile to shoot down a drone that costs just $2,000.
Raytheon plans to deliver two new prototypes this year and another in 2026 to address the current limitations of the high-power microwaves used by the U.S. team. In particular, the report states that Chimera may be effective against Iranian Shahed-136 UAVs.
Recent attacks on U.S. ships and troops in the Red Sea and Syria have shown that directed energy, including lasers and microwaves, is urgently needed as the U.S. and its allies face potentially unsustainable forms of warfare.
Problems such as technological maturity, lack of suitable naval platforms, and multiple problems of directed energy industrial bases have hindered the widespread adoption of lasers on U.S. ships.
The current artillery and missile defense systems have a relatively low downing rate, interceptor missiles are expensive, and it takes a long time to replace missile interceptors.
An April 2023 report from the U.S.** Office of Accountability (GAO) compares the function, physical properties, testing, and lethality of lasers and high-power microwave (HPM).
In terms of functionality, GAP reports that lasers affect physical components by blinding optical sensors or cutting through control surfaces, attacking targets alone.
In contrast, the report mentions that HPM** provides energy to overwhelm critical components such as circuit boards that carry electric current, while penetrating solid objects and attacking targets over a wide area.
For physical properties, the report says that the power of lasers is measured in kilowatts, usually infrared and visible, while HPMs have a power of gigahertz, which is 10,000 times longer than lasers.
In terms of testing, GAO reports that lasers are sensitive to environmental conditions and therefore place great emphasis on testing in an operating environment under a wide range of conditions.
At the same time, it says the HPM** test shows more linear results. It remains to be seen whether the results of small lab tests can be replicated at higher power levels in an operating environment, the report said.
The report mentions that the lethality of a laser** depends on the amount of energy transmitted to the target, which in turn depends on how long the laser is focused on the target. In contrast, the lethality of HPM** depends on peak power output, microwave pulse rate, and frequency used.
HPM** has distinct advantages and disadvantages, especially in terms of scalability and technology maturity.
In a January 2022 article for the U.S. Navy's Sea Systems Command, Kevin Cogley, head of the Systems Division, mentioned that high-power microwaves (HPMs) can have progressive effects ranging from jamming electronics to physically destroying them. According to Cogley, the HPM** is unique in that it does not cause any signs of external damage to the target during the engagement.
In addition, the U.S. Accountability Office noted in a May 2023 report that, unlike lasers, HPMs can affect multiple targets due to their larger beam size.
In addition, John Tatum, in a 2014 article for the U.S. Center for Defense Systems Information Analysis (DSIAAC), noted that the scalability of microwaves** minimizes collateral damage, promises negligible cost per shot, and takes advantage of the development of electric ships, vehicles, and aircraft that can provide the necessary power.
Until the US DDG(X) destroyer enters service, it may not have an ideal directed** naval platform, as Arleigh Burke-class destroyers have maximized their upgrade potential due to limited space. At the same time, the Ticonderoga-class cruisers have become increasingly obsolete and uneconomical to maintain.
At the same time, HPM** has significant drawbacks. HPM beams** are inefficient, have high air losses, and have limited range in the ground-based atmosphere.
The U.S. High-Power Joint Electromagnetic Nonkinetic Strike (HIJENKS) is a cruise missile with an HPM warhead, the development of which was achieved by improving the miniaturization of components in harsh environments.
The idea behind Hijenks is to develop a ** capable of neutralizing electronic targets, as well as a cost-effective ** for defeating deeply buried targets that conventional explosives cannot.
This ** can generate HPM pulses that can pass through the metal that protects the underground command center and burn sensitive electronics. However, it may be ineffective against low-tech, nuclear-armed adversaries such as North Korea.
February** Dynamic Incentive Program