Directed Energy: Science, Non Fiction

From the devastating alien heat-ray in H.G. Wells’ War of the Worlds to the handheld phasers that Captain Kirk and crew wield in episodes of “Star Trek,” laser weapons have long captured the imaginations of science fiction writers, directors, and dreamers.

These concepts are no longer the stuff of science fiction. Booz Allen Hamilton engineers and scientists are helping the Department of Defense (DoD) develop and operationalize directed energy (DE) weapons. With numerous advantages that complement traditional kinetic weapons, DE has the potential to profoundly reshape the 21st century battlefield.

“Threats are evolving that directed energy better allows us to address, including boost phase defense against advanced intercontinental missiles, armed drones, hypersonic weapons, and swarming tactics,” says Booz Allen Executive Vice President Trey Obering, who is the senior executive for the firm’s DE business. “What was once considered a science project is now a necessity, and our continued military superiority depends on the outcome.”

DE weapons transmit beams or fields of concentrated electromagnetic energy at a target. There are two basic categories of DE weapons, high-energy laser (HEL) and high-powered microwaves (HPM). And each have different potential applications.

HELs can cause physical damage to targets like small boats, munitions, or drones from the ground or from the air, according to Joe Shepherd, who is director of  Booz Allen's DE business.

“The same technology can be used to track, illuminate, and ‘dazzle,’ causing a temporary loss of sensor capability in a cloak of brilliant light,” he adds.

Alternatively, HPM uses high-powered radio frequency energy to disrupt a target, depositing electrical pulses or heat to cause an adverse effect. It can be used to disable vehicles and vessels and in counter-infrastructure operations by shutting down electronics. While usually less physically destructive than a high-energy laser shot, HPM weapons can give warfighters a tactical edge by eliminating the enemy’s ability to use critical equipment and offering non-lethal engagement to deescalate conflict.