AD1107488

HIGH POWER MICROWAVE WEAPONS: DISRUPTIVE TECHNOLOGY FOR THE FUTURE Major Jack Mc Gonegal, USAF ACTS 2.0 Research Task Force Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell Air Force Base, AL Spring 2020 As the Department of Defense has shifted focus to near-peer competition, there has been a push to field technologies that will offer the United States a strategic advantage. The Air Force Research Lab (AFRL) has been designing, building, and testing technologies that can provide this advantage, but many have never made it to the operational inventory. One of those technologies is Pulsed-wave High Power Microwaves (HPM). HPMS has been in development for over 30 years and has seen significant advancements in the size, weight, and power of the weapon. These weapons started as large ground-based systems, but in 2012 the technology had advanced to the point that AFRL placed it on an airborne platform. Since this technology demonstration, AFRL has continued to pursue advancements in this technology. HPMs also provide an opportunity to revisit an old nuclear targeting strategy, countervalue strikes. HPMs can be used to strike targets that are vital to the survival of the nation while negating collateral damage concerns. These weapons provide a unique capability to deter potential adversaries from taking action or compelling them to stop a course of action. These weapons are the type of disruptive technology the US needs to maintain its competitive advantage. DISTRIBUTION A. Approved for public release: distribution unlimited. Table of Contents Introduction.....................................................................................................3 High Power Microwaves......................................................................................4 Previous HPM Platforms/Capabilities.......................................................................5 Deploying Future HPM Platforms...........................................................................8 HPM Intelligence Support Requirements.................................................................11 HPMs as a Coercive Instrument............................................................................12 HPM Countervalue Targeting..............................................................................15