The Pentagon has selected four high-energy laser and microwave weapon systems for operational testing as the United States accelerates efforts to defend against increasingly sophisticated drone threats to the homeland. The announcement, made on Monday, 6 October 2025, marks the next phase of a directed-energy pilot programme run by Joint Interagency Task Force 401 (JIATF 401), the Defence Department body responsible for coordinating counter-small-unmanned-aircraft-system efforts.

The Four Selected Systems

The systems chosen for the pilot are AeroVironment's Palletised High-Energy Laser, Epirus' Leonidas High-Powered Microwave system, Kord's Firefly High-Energy Laser, and Boeing's Compact Laser Weapon System. The Pentagon described these as the first batch selected under the programme, with additional directed-energy technologies continuing to be evaluated.

High-energy lasers concentrate energy against individual drone targets, while high-powered microwave systems deploy electromagnetic energy to disable electronic components — potentially offering an additional defensive layer against unmanned aircraft at scale.

What the Pentagon Said

US Army Brigadier General Matt Ross, director of JIATF 401, said the programme is designed to test these capabilities in a live operational environment. 'High-energy lasers and high-powered microwave systems are tools that can be effectively used in a layered drone defense,' he said. 'This pilot program will test these capabilities in an operational environment so we can understand how best to integrate and sustain them to defend the homeland.'

Ross was also candid about the limits of any single technology. 'There is no silver bullet, or one size fits all solution to countering the threat of drones,' he said. 'Directed energy gives commanders another option within a layered defense, complementing existing counter-UAS capabilities with a scalable, safe, and effective way to respond to drone threats.'

Safety Clearance and FAA Coordination

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and JIATF 401 jointly conducted a safety risk assessment during a live-fire high-energy laser demonstration at White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico. Following that exercise, the FAA determined that the system posed minimal risk to the National Airspace System and established a coordination framework for ongoing testing — a critical step given that directed-energy weapons may eventually be operated within US civilian airspace.

Upcoming Shoot-Off at Dugway Proving Ground

A separate directed-energy 'shoot-off' is scheduled for December at Dugway Proving Ground in Utah. That event will assess additional high-energy laser and high-powered microwave systems, with the aim of identifying technologies suitable for future operational deployment.

Why Counter-Drone Defence Has Become a Priority

Counter-drone investment has surged across the US military in recent years as relatively low-cost unmanned aircraft have demonstrated the capacity to threaten military installations, ground troops, and critical infrastructure — lessons drawn in part from conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East. Directed-energy weapons offer a cost-effective alternative to conventional interceptor missiles and guns, with a near-zero cost-per-shot advantage at scale. This pilot programme represents one of the most structured efforts yet to bring such systems into the US homeland-defence architecture. The results of operational testing are expected to shape Pentagon procurement decisions and inform the broader counter-UAS strategy going forward.