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10 September 2024

U.S. Army eyes drone-soaked Middle East to refine energy weapons

Colin Demarest

U.S. Army Undersecretary Gabe Camarillo envisions a future battlefield swarming with sensors and electronics, swollen with digital chatter and interference, and starving for overhead defenses.

Why it matters: The Army is putting a premium on drone and counter-drone equipment in light of the Russia-Ukraine war and is scoping out sci-fi-style energy weapons to combat aerial threats.

Why he matters: Camarillo has for years served as the service's No. 2 civilian, working as its chief operating officer and keeping abreast of its weapon developments.
  • He sat down with Axios for a 40-minute interview at the Pentagon.
The intrigue: A directed-energy proving ground is emerging in the greater Middle East, where laser and microwave weapons face real-world, punishing conditions.
  • The Army this year dispatched to Iraq several laser weapons mounted on Stryker combat vehicles.
  • It plans to send Epirus-made high-power microwave prototypes to the region in the coming months.
  • Army Gen. Michael Kurilla, the U.S. Central Command boss, told Congress he would "love" to have additional directed-energy weapons in the area, especially as the Navy snipes Houthi drones launched from Yemen.

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