{"id":27395265,"date":"2026-10-09T10:51:47","date_gmt":"2026-10-09T08:51:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/jiatf-401-directed-energy-pilot-lasers-microwave-shoot-off-2026\/"},"modified":"2026-10-09T10:51:55","modified_gmt":"2026-10-09T08:51:55","slug":"jiatf-401-directed-energy-pilot-lasers-microwave-shoot-off-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/fr\/jiatf-401-directed-energy-pilot-lasers-microwave-shoot-off-2026\/","title":{"rendered":"JIATF 401 Directed Energy Pilot: Three Lasers and a Microwave"},"content":{"rendered":"<style>.et_pb_title_container h1.entry-title { padding-top: 40px !important; }<\/style>\n<!-- mfsh:top -->\n\n<style>\n.mfsh-trigger{display:inline-flex;align-items:center;gap:10px;height:44px;padding:0 18px;margin:0 0 26px;border:2px solid #0F1720;background:#fff;color:#0F1720;font-family:inherit;font-size:14px;font-weight:700;line-height:1;letter-spacing:0;text-transform:none;cursor:pointer;box-shadow:none;transition:background .15s,color .15s}\n.mfsh-trigger:hover,.mfsh-trigger:focus-visible{background:#0F1720;color:#fff;outline:none}\n.mfsh-trigger svg{width:18px;height:18px;display:block;flex-shrink:0}\n.mfsh-trigger.mfsh-bottom{margin:8px 0 28px}\n.mfsh-meta{position:relative;padding-right:190px}\n.mfsh-trigger.mfsh-inmeta{position:absolute;right:0;bottom:0;margin:0;height:30px;padding:0 8.9px;font-size:13px}\n.mfsh-trigger.mfsh-inmeta svg{width:16px;height:16px}\n.mfsh-overlay{position:fixed;inset:0;background:rgba(15,23,32,.55);z-index:99999;display:flex;align-items:flex-end;justify-content:center;opacity:0;pointer-events:none;transition:opacity .2s}\n.mfsh-overlay.mfsh-open{opacity:1;pointer-events:auto}\n.mfsh-sheet{width:100%;max-width:520px;background:#fff;color:#0F1720;padding:18px 20px 28px;transform:translateY(24px);transition:transform .22s;box-shadow:0 12px 32px rgba(15,23,32,.25);font-family:inherit;max-height:92vh;overflow:auto;-webkit-overflow-scrolling:touch}\n.mfsh-overlay.mfsh-open .mfsh-sheet{transform:none}\n@media (min-width:640px){.mfsh-overlay{align-items:center}.mfsh-sheet{padding-bottom:20px}}\n.mfsh-head{display:flex;align-items:center;justify-content:space-between;margin:0 0 14px}\n.mfsh-head strong{font-size:18px;font-weight:800;display:flex;align-items:center;gap:8px;line-height:1}\n.mfsh-head strong svg{width:18px;height:18px}\n.mfsh-close{background:none;border:0;padding:6px;margin:0;cursor:pointer;color:#0F1720;line-height:0;box-shadow:none}\n.mfsh-close svg{width:18px;height:18px}\n.mfsh-preview{display:grid;grid-template-columns:96px 1fr;gap:12px;border:1px solid #DCE3EE;background:#F5F7FB;padding:10px;margin:0 0 12px;align-items:center}\n.mfsh-preview img{width:96px;height:72px;object-fit:cover;display:block;margin:0}\n.mfsh-preview .mfsh-kicker{font-size:10px;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:.14em;text-transform:uppercase;color:#5C91FF;margin:0 0 4px;line-height:1.2}\n.mfsh-preview .mfsh-title{font-size:14px;line-height:1.3;font-weight:700;margin:0;display:block}\n.mfsh-list{display:grid;margin:0;padding:0}\n.mfsh-item{display:flex;align-items:center;gap:14px;height:50px;width:100%;border:0;border-top:1px solid #DCE3EE;background:none;padding:0 4px;margin:0;text-align:left;font-family:inherit;font-size:15px;font-weight:600;color:#0F1720;cursor:pointer;box-shadow:none;letter-spacing:0;text-transform:none;line-height:1}\n.mfsh-item:hover,.mfsh-item:focus-visible{background:#F5F7FB;outline:none}\n.mfsh-item svg{width:20px;height:20px;color:#5C91FF;flex-shrink:0;display:block}\n.mfsh-item small{margin-left:auto;color:#5B6674;font-weight:500;font-size:12px}\n.mfsh-item.mfsh-done svg{color:#1E9E5A}\n.mfsh-toast{position:fixed;left:50%;bottom:32px;transform:translate(-50%,10px);background:#0F1720;color:#fff;padding:10px 16px;font-weight:700;font-size:13px;font-family:inherit;opacity:0;pointer-events:none;transition:opacity .2s,transform .2s;z-index:100000}\n.mfsh-toast.mfsh-show{opacity:1;transform:translate(-50%,0)}\n@media (prefers-reduced-motion:reduce){.mfsh-overlay,.mfsh-sheet,.mfsh-toast,.mfsh-trigger{transition:none}}\n<\/style>\n<svg width=\"0\" height=\"0\" style=\"position:absolute\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n  <symbol id=\"mfsh-i-share\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\"><path fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"1.9\" stroke-linecap=\"square\" d=\"M12 3v12M8 7l4-4 4 4M5 12v8h14v-8\"\/><\/symbol>\n  <symbol id=\"mfsh-i-close\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\"><path fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"square\" d=\"m5 5 14 14M19 5 5 19\"\/><\/symbol>\n  <symbol id=\"mfsh-i-wa\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\"><path fill=\"currentColor\" d=\"M12 2a10 10 0 0 0-8.6 15.1L2 22l5.1-1.3A10 10 0 1 0 12 2Zm0 1.8a8.2 8.2 0 1 1-4.2 15.3l-.3-.2-3 .8.8-2.9-.2-.3A8.2 8.2 0 0 1 12 3.8Zm-3 4.4c-.2 0-.5 0-.8.4-.3.3-1 1-1 2.4s1 2.8 1.2 3c.1.2 2 3.2 5 4.4 2.5 1 3 .8 3.5.7.5 0 1.7-.7 2-1.4.2-.7.2-1.3.1-1.4l-.5-.3-2-1c-.3 0-.5-.1-.7.2l-.9 1.1c-.2.2-.3.2-.6.1-.3-.2-1.3-.5-2.4-1.5-.9-.8-1.5-1.8-1.7-2-.2-.4 0-.5.2-.7l.4-.5.3-.5v-.5l-.9-2.2c-.2-.5-.4-.5-.6-.5H9Z\"\/><\/symbol>\n  <symbol id=\"mfsh-i-x\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\"><path fill=\"currentColor\" d=\"M17.8 3h3l-6.7 7.7L22 21h-6.2l-4.8-6.3L5.4 21h-3l7.2-8.2L2 3h6.3l4.4 5.8L17.8 3Zm-1.1 16.2h1.7L7.4 4.7H5.6l11.1 14.5Z\"\/><\/symbol>\n  <symbol id=\"mfsh-i-fb\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\"><path fill=\"currentColor\" d=\"M13.5 22v-8h2.7l.4-3.2h-3.1V8.8c0-.9.3-1.6 1.6-1.6h1.7V4.4c-.3 0-1.3-.1-2.5-.1-2.5 0-4.1 1.5-4.1 4.2v2.3H7.4V14h2.8v8h3.3Z\"\/><\/symbol>\n  <symbol id=\"mfsh-i-li\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\"><path fill=\"currentColor\" d=\"M6.5 8.5H3V21h3.5V8.5ZM4.8 3a2 2 0 1 0 0 4 2 2 0 0 0 0-4ZM21 13.4c0-3.4-1.8-5.2-4.5-5.2-1.6 0-2.7.8-3.2 1.7V8.5H9.9V21h3.4v-6.4c0-1.7.6-2.8 2.1-2.8 1.4 0 2 1 2 2.8V21H21v-7.6Z\"\/><\/symbol>\n  <symbol id=\"mfsh-i-rd\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\"><path fill=\"currentColor\" d=\"M22 12.1a2.4 2.4 0 0 0-4.1-1.7 11.7 11.7 0 0 0-5.5-1.7l1-4.5 3.1.7a1.7 1.7 0 1 0 .2-1l-3.6-.8a.5.5 0 0 0-.6.4l-1.1 5.2a11.8 11.8 0 0 0-5.8 1.7A2.4 2.4 0 1 0 3 14.3v.5c0 3.4 4 6.2 9 6.2s9-2.8 9-6.2v-.5a2.4 2.4 0 0 0 1-2.2ZM7.5 13.8a1.7 1.7 0 1 1 3.4 0 1.7 1.7 0 0 1-3.4 0Zm8.9 4.5c-1.2 1.2-3.4 1.3-4.4 1.3s-3.3-.1-4.4-1.3a.5.5 0 0 1 .7-.7c.7.8 2.4 1 3.7 1s2.9-.2 3.7-1a.5.5 0 0 1 .7.7Zm-.6-2.8a1.7 1.7 0 1 1 0-3.4 1.7 1.7 0 0 1 0 3.4Z\"\/><\/symbol>\n  <symbol id=\"mfsh-i-tg\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\"><path fill=\"currentColor\" d=\"M21.9 4.6 18.7 19.9c-.2 1-.9 1.3-1.7.8l-4.9-3.6-2.3 2.3c-.3.3-.5.5-1 .5l.4-5 9-8.2c.4-.3-.1-.5-.6-.2L6.4 13.5 1.6 12c-1-.3-1.1-1 .2-1.5l18.8-7.2c.9-.3 1.6.2 1.3 1.3Z\"\/><\/symbol>\n  <symbol id=\"mfsh-i-mail\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\"><path fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"1.8\" d=\"M3 6h18v12H3z\"\/><path fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"1.8\" d=\"m3 7 9 6 9-6\"\/><\/symbol>\n  <symbol id=\"mfsh-i-link\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\"><path fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"1.9\" stroke-linecap=\"square\" d=\"M10 14a4 4 0 0 0 5.7 0l3-3a4 4 0 0 0-5.7-5.7l-1.5 1.5M14 10a4 4 0 0 0-5.7 0l-3 3a4 4 0 0 0 5.7 5.7l1.5-1.5\"\/><\/symbol>\n  <symbol id=\"mfsh-i-more\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\"><circle cx=\"5\" cy=\"12\" r=\"2\" fill=\"currentColor\"\/><circle cx=\"12\" cy=\"12\" r=\"2\" fill=\"currentColor\"\/><circle cx=\"19\" cy=\"12\" r=\"2\" fill=\"currentColor\"\/><\/symbol>\n<\/svg>\n<span class=\"mfsh-top-slot\"><button type=\"button\" class=\"mfsh-trigger\" data-mfsh-placement=\"top\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\"><svg><use href=\"#mfsh-i-share\"\/><\/svg>Share this story<\/button><\/span>\n<script>\n(function(){\n  if (window.__mfsh) return; window.__mfsh = true;\n  var SECTION = 'afterburner';\n  function meta(p){ var m=document.querySelector('meta[property=\"'+p+'\"]'); return m ? m.getAttribute('content') : ''; }\n  function pageUrl(){ var c=document.querySelector('link[rel=\"canonical\"]'); return (c && c.href) || (location.origin + location.pathname); }\n  function pageTitle(){ var h=document.querySelector('h1.entry-title'); return (h && h.textContent.trim()) || meta('og:title') || document.title; }\n  function slug(){ return location.pathname.replace(\/\\\/+$\/,'').split('\/').pop() || 'home'; }\n  function kicker(){ var c=document.querySelector('.et_pb_title_container a[rel=\"category tag\"], .et_pb_title_container a[rel=\"category\"], a[rel=\"category tag\"]'); return 'Afterburner' + (c && c.textContent.trim() ? ' \u00b7 ' + c.textContent.trim() : ''); }\n  function shareUrl(ch, placement){ return pageUrl() + '?utm_source=share&utm_medium=' + ch + '&utm_campaign=' + SECTION + '&utm_content=sheet_' + placement; }\n  function track(ch, placement, extra){\n    window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || [];\n    var ev = { event:'share', share_channel:ch, share_variant:'sheet', share_placement:placement, page_section:SECTION, content_id:slug() };\n    if (extra) for (var k in extra) ev[k]=extra[k];\n    window.dataLayer.push(ev);\n  }\n  var CH = [\n    ['whatsapp','WhatsApp','mfsh-i-wa',''],\n    ['x','X','mfsh-i-x',''],\n    ['facebook','Facebook','mfsh-i-fb',''],\n    ['linkedin','LinkedIn','mfsh-i-li',''],\n    ['reddit','Reddit','mfsh-i-rd','r\/aviation, r\/WarplanePorn'],\n    ['telegram','Telegram','mfsh-i-tg',''],\n    ['email','Email','mfsh-i-mail',''],\n    ['copy','Copy link','mfsh-i-link',''],\n    ['native','More','mfsh-i-more','Instagram, Signal, AirDrop']\n  ];\n  var overlay, toastEl, toastT, placement = 'top';\n  function build(){\n    overlay = document.createElement('div'); overlay.className = 'mfsh-overlay'; overlay.setAttribute('role','dialog'); overlay.setAttribute('aria-modal','true'); overlay.setAttribute('aria-label','Share');\n    var img = meta('og:image');\n    var items = CH.filter(function(c){ return c[0] !== 'native' || !!navigator.share; }).map(function(c){\n      return '<button type=\"button\" class=\"mfsh-item\" data-mfsh-ch=\"'+c[0]+'\"><svg><use href=\"#'+c[2]+'\"\/><\/svg>'+c[1]+(c[3]?'<small>'+c[3]+'<\/small>':'')+'<\/button>';\n    }).join('');\n    overlay.innerHTML = '<div class=\"mfsh-sheet\"><div class=\"mfsh-head\"><strong><svg><use href=\"#mfsh-i-share\"\/><\/svg>Share<\/strong><button type=\"button\" class=\"mfsh-close\" aria-label=\"Close\"><svg><use href=\"#mfsh-i-close\"\/><\/svg><\/button><\/div>'\n      + '<div class=\"mfsh-preview\">' + (img ? '<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"skip-lazy\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" loading=\"eager\" src=\"'+img+'\" alt=\"\">' : '<span><\/span>') + '<div><div class=\"mfsh-kicker\">'+kicker()+'<\/div><span class=\"mfsh-title\">'+pageTitle()+'<\/span><\/div><\/div>'\n      + '<div class=\"mfsh-list\">'+items+'<\/div><\/div>';\n    document.body.appendChild(overlay);\n    toastEl = document.createElement('div'); toastEl.className = 'mfsh-toast'; document.body.appendChild(toastEl);\n    overlay.addEventListener('click', function(e){\n      if (e.target === overlay || e.target.closest('.mfsh-close')) { close(); return; }\n      var b = e.target.closest('.mfsh-item'); if (b) act(b.getAttribute('data-mfsh-ch'), b);\n    });\n    document.addEventListener('keydown', function(e){ if (e.key === 'Escape') close(); });\n  }\n  function open(p){ placement = p || 'top'; if (!overlay) build(); overlay.classList.add('mfsh-open'); track('open', placement); }\n  function close(){ if (overlay) overlay.classList.remove('mfsh-open'); }\n  function toast(m){ toastEl.textContent = m; toastEl.classList.add('mfsh-show'); clearTimeout(toastT); toastT = setTimeout(function(){ toastEl.classList.remove('mfsh-show'); }, 1600); }\n  function act(ch, btn){\n    var url = shareUrl(ch, placement), t = pageTitle(), enc = encodeURIComponent;\n    if (ch === 'copy') {\n      var done = function(){ toast('Link copied'); btn.classList.add('mfsh-done'); setTimeout(function(){ btn.classList.remove('mfsh-done'); close(); }, 900); };\n      track(ch, placement);\n      if (navigator.clipboard && navigator.clipboard.writeText) navigator.clipboard.writeText(url).then(done, done); else done();\n      return;\n    }\n    if (ch === 'native') {\n      track(ch, placement, { share_result:'opened' });\n      navigator.share({ title:t, text:t, url:url }).then(function(){ track('native', placement, { share_result:'completed' }); close(); }).catch(function(){});\n      return;\n    }\n    var target = {\n      whatsapp: 'https:\/\/api.whatsapp.com\/send?text=' + enc(t + ' ' + url),\n      x:        'https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=' + enc(t) + '&url=' + enc(url) + '&via=MiGFlug',\n      facebook: 'https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer\/sharer.php?u=' + enc(url),\n      linkedin: 'https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/sharing\/share-offsite\/?url=' + enc(url),\n      reddit:   'https:\/\/www.reddit.com\/submit?url=' + enc(url) + '&title=' + enc(t),\n      telegram: 'https:\/\/t.me\/share\/url?url=' + enc(url) + '&text=' + enc(t),\n      email:    'mailto:?subject=' + enc(t) + '&body=' + enc('Thought you would like this, from Afterburner, MiGFlug\\'s magazine:\\n' + t + '\\n' + url)\n    }[ch];\n    track(ch, placement);\n    if (target) { if (ch === 'email') location.href = target; else window.open(target, '_blank', 'noopener,width=680,height=560'); }\n    close();\n  }\n  var mq = window.matchMedia('(min-width:981px)');\n  function place(){\n    var t = document.querySelector('.mfsh-trigger[data-mfsh-placement=\"top\"]'), slot = document.querySelector('.mfsh-top-slot');\n    var meta = [].slice.call(document.querySelectorAll('.et_pb_title_meta_container, .et_post_meta_wrapper .post-meta, .single .post-meta')).filter(function(m){ return m.offsetParent !== null; })[0];\n    if (!t || !slot) return;\n    if (meta && mq.matches) { meta.classList.add('mfsh-meta'); t.classList.add('mfsh-inmeta'); if (t.parentNode !== meta) meta.appendChild(t); var a = meta.querySelector('a'); if (a) { var pr = document.createElement('span'); pr.style.cssText = 'display:inline-block;width:0;height:0;vertical-align:baseline'; a.appendChild(pr); var base = pr.getBoundingClientRect().bottom; pr.remove(); var fs = parseFloat(getComputedStyle(a).fontSize) || 14, mb = meta.getBoundingClientRect().bottom; t.style.bottom = Math.max(0, mb - (base + fs * 0.12)) + 'px'; } }\n    else { t.classList.remove('mfsh-inmeta'); if (t.parentNode !== slot) slot.appendChild(t); }\n  }\n  if (document.readyState === 'loading') document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', place); else place(); window.addEventListener('load', place); if (document.fonts && document.fonts.ready) document.fonts.ready.then(place); window.addEventListener('resize', place);\n  if (mq.addEventListener) mq.addEventListener('change', place); else mq.addListener(place);\n  document.addEventListener('click', function(e){ var b = e.target.closest('.mfsh-trigger'); if (b) { e.preventDefault(); open(b.getAttribute('data-mfsh-placement') || 'top'); } });\n})();\n<\/script><!-- \/mfsh:top -->\n<p>Seven months ago a counter-drone laser fired near Fort Bliss and the Federal Aviation Administration shut the sky over El Paso. On Monday 5 October the Pentagon answered that embarrassment with a shopping list: three high-energy lasers and one high-powered microwave, picked to defend American military bases from drones on American soil.<\/p>\n<p>The four systems are the first selections for the counter-drone directed energy pilot run by Joint Interagency Task Force 401, the Army-led organisation that has coordinated US counter-drone work since August 2025. They come from AeroVironment, Epirus, Kord Technologies and Boeing. Congress ordered the programme in the fiscal 2026 National Defense Authorization Act.<\/p>\n<p>And the selection is only the opening round. In December, JIATF 401 holds a directed-energy shoot-off at Dugway Proving Ground in Utah, where its director has said the systems that perform well could walk away with a purchase order on the spot.<\/p>\n\n<div style=\"background:#f4f6f8;border-left:4px solid #5C91FF;padding:18px 22px;margin:26px 0\"><p style=\"margin:0 0 10px;font-weight:700;font-size:17px;color:#0d1117\">Quick Facts<\/p><p style=\"margin:5px 0\"><strong>Programme:<\/strong> JIATF 401 counter-UAS directed energy pilot, required by the FY2026 National Defense Authorization Act<\/p><p style=\"margin:5px 0\"><strong>Announced:<\/strong> Pentagon release, Monday 5 October 2026<\/p><p style=\"margin:5px 0\"><strong>Selected systems:<\/strong> AeroVironment Palletized High-Energy Laser, Epirus Leonidas high-powered microwave, Kord Firefly high-energy laser, Boeing Compact Laser Weapon System<\/p><p style=\"margin:5px 0\"><strong>Host installations (named May 2026):<\/strong> Fort Huachuca, Arizona; Fort Bliss, Texas; Naval Base Kitsap, Washington; Grand Forks AFB, North Dakota; Whiteman AFB, Missouri<\/p><p style=\"margin:5px 0\"><strong>Duration:<\/strong> About a year, with service members operating and maintaining the weapons themselves<\/p><p style=\"margin:5px 0\"><strong>Shoot-off:<\/strong> December 2026 at Dugway Proving Ground, Utah, with further lasers and microwaves to be evaluated<\/p><p style=\"margin:5px 0\"><strong>Partners:<\/strong> US Northern Command, the FAA and the military services<\/p><\/div>\n\n<h2 style=\"padding-top:22px\">Four weapons, two ways to kill a drone<\/h2>\n<p>The list splits neatly into two physics problems. A high-energy laser holds a beam on one drone until it burns through something that matters. A high-powered microwave floods an area with energy that overwhelms electronics, so it can take out several drones in a single pulse, at the cost of a wider footprint that worries anyone with sensitive equipment nearby.<\/p>\n<p>AeroVironment\u2019s entry is its LOCUST laser packed onto a self-contained pallet that rolls on and off a truck or a ship. The company says a palletised LOCUST tracked and defeated target drones from the flight deck of the carrier USS <em>George H.W. Bush<\/em> in October 2025. In September the Army gave AeroVironment a production contract worth roughly $465 million for its 30-kilowatt LOCUST X3.<\/p>\n<p>Boeing\u2019s Compact Laser Weapon System sits at the other end of the power scale, in 2-kilowatt and 5-kilowatt versions. Lower power means a longer dwell on target, but a smaller, easier system. Boeing says a 5 kW unit downed Group 3 drones, a class weighing up to about 1,320 pounds, at the Red Sands exercise in Saudi Arabia in September 2024, and that the system has defeated nearly 500 drones at ranges from about 200 metres to 2.5 kilometres.<\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\" style=\"margin:0 0 24px;width:100%\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"skip-lazy\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" loading=\"eager\" width=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/10\/locust-palletized-laser-uss-george-hw-bush-cvn77.jpg\" alt=\"AeroVironment palletized LOCUST laser weapon system on the flight deck of USS George H.W. Bush\" style=\"width:100%;height:auto;max-width:100%;display:block\"><figcaption style=\"font-size:13px;color:#777;text-align:center;margin-top:6px;font-style:italic\">The palletised LOCUST Laser Weapon System on the flight deck of USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77) before its October 2025 live-fire test. AeroVironment\u2019s Palletized High-Energy Laser for the JIATF 401 pilot is the same roll-on, roll-off LOCUST configuration. U.S. Navy photo, NAVCENT Public Affairs \/ public domain<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n<p>Kord Technologies, a KBR subsidiary, markets Firefly as a palletised, mobile laser that scales up from 5 kilowatts. Reports differ on the ceiling, with Air &amp; Space Forces Magazine citing 30 kW and Defense News 40 kW. Kord officials told reporters at an August demonstration in Alabama that a truck-mounted version typically needs a few seconds on target to bring down a small drone.<\/p>\n<p>The odd one out is Epirus\u2019 Leonidas, the only microwave on the list. It is the basis of the Army\u2019s prototype high-power microwave for its Indirect Fire Protection Capability programme. Epirus says a Leonidas disabled all 61 target drones across five scenarios at Camp Atterbury, Indiana, in 2025, including a 49-drone swarm in one burst.<\/p>\n\n<div style=\"position:relative;padding-bottom:56.25%;height:0;overflow:hidden;margin:24px 0\"><iframe class=\"skip-lazy\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" loading=\"eager\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/ZrkopSw5uas\" style=\"position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;border:0\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\n\n<p style=\"font-size:13px;color:#777;text-align:center;margin:-10px 0 24px;font-style:italic\">Epirus\u2019 own footage of Leonidas bringing down a 49-drone swarm: the one-to-many effect that makes a microwave different from a laser.<\/p>\n<h2 style=\"padding-top:22px\">Why the Pentagon wants soldiers, not engineers, at the controls<\/h2>\n<p>Nobody at JIATF 401 is trying to prove that lasers can kill drones. That argument is over. The question is whether a base can live with one for a year.<\/p>\n<p>Army Brig. Gen. Matt Ross, the task force director, said in August that the pilot will put the weapons on installations with service members running and maintaining them, the jobs usually left to contractor field representatives, for a 365-day period. What he wants back is data: power demands, repair tempo, tactics, and what each system really costs to own.<\/p>\n\n<div style=\"background:#f8f9fa;border-left:4px solid #5C91FF;padding:20px 22px;margin:18px 0 24px;font-size:16px;line-height:1.7\"><em>&ldquo;High-energy lasers and high-powered microwave systems are tools that can be effectively used in a layered drone defense. 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.&rdquo;<\/em><div style=\"margin-top:10px;font-size:14px;color:#555\"><strong>Brig. Gen. Matt Ross<\/strong> &mdash; Director, Joint Interagency Task Force 401, in the Pentagon release of 5 October 2026<\/div><\/div>\n\n<p>Ross has been openly sceptical of the cheapest-shot-in-history pitch that follows lasers everywhere. A laser shot costs pennies in electricity, but the system behind it does not. As he put it to reporters in August, if a system costs $6 million and fires once a year, you cannot claim that shot cost 8 cents. The pilot exists to put a real number next to a laser kill and compare it with a missile or a gun.<\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\" style=\"margin:0 0 24px;width:100%\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"skip-lazy\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" loading=\"eager\" width=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/10\/army-ifpc-hpm-high-power-microwave-balikatan-2025.jpg\" alt=\"US Army IFPC-HPM high-powered microwave weapon emplaced on a coastline during Exercise Balikatan 2025\" style=\"width:100%;height:auto;max-width:100%;display:block\"><figcaption style=\"font-size:13px;color:#777;text-align:center;margin-top:6px;font-style:italic\">The Army\u2019s IFPC high-powered microwave, built by Epirus around its Leonidas design, set up for a counter-swarm live fire during Exercise Balikatan in the Philippines, 25 April 2025. U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Brandon Rickert \/ DVIDS<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n<h2 style=\"padding-top:22px\">The El Paso problem<\/h2>\n<p>Firing a laser at a drone over a desert range is easy. Firing one at a drone near a city with an airport is a different discipline, and that is why the FAA appears in almost every line of the announcement.<\/p>\n<p>In February the FAA briefly closed the airspace over El Paso after a counter-drone laser was used near Fort Bliss without coordination with the agency. The weapon in question was operated by Customs and Border Protection and, according to later reporting, was on loan from the Army. In March, defence and FAA officials held a live-fire demonstration at White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico, and on 10 April the FAA said the laser systems tested, with proper safety controls, do not pose undue risk to passenger aircraft.<\/p>\n<p>Two of the five host installations, Fort Bliss and Fort Huachuca, are tied to the southern border mission, where the Army\u2019s Multi-Purpose High Energy Laser has already been used against drones believed to be linked to drug cartels. The other three are a Navy submarine base at Kitsap, the <a href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/aircraft\/rq-4-global-hawk\/\">RQ-4 Global Hawk<\/a> base at Grand Forks and Whiteman, home of the <a href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/aircraft\/b-2-spirit\/\">B-2 Spirit<\/a>. The release does not say which weapon goes where, how many will be fielded or what the directed energy pilot will cost.<\/p>\n<h2 style=\"padding-top:22px\">December at Dugway<\/h2>\n<p>The shoot-off was first floated in August, when Ross told DefenseScoop that JIATF 401 wanted to open the door to new entrants, including younger companies offering something closer to a commercial laser with a sturdier supply chain. The task force first pointed to Yuma Proving Ground in Arizona, then moved the event to Dugway in Utah.<\/p>\n\n<div style=\"background:#f8f9fa;border-left:4px solid #d32f2f;padding:20px 22px;margin:18px 0 24px;font-size:16px;line-height:1.7\"><em>&ldquo;And then we\u2019re trying to structure that event in such a way that for systems that perform effectively or successfully, it immediately results in a purchase order that allows us to start building the production lines to get these systems into the field.&rdquo;<\/em><div style=\"margin-top:10px;font-size:14px;color:#555\"><strong>Brig. Gen. Matt Ross<\/strong> &mdash; Director, JIATF 401, speaking to DefenseScoop, August 2026<\/div><\/div>\n\n<p>Air &amp; Space Forces Magazine reports that the four selected systems will take part in the shoot-off. The Pentagon release itself puts the emphasis on what else turns up: the department and the task force will keep evaluating further lasers and microwaves, and the December event is where they will be tested. Either way, the directed energy pilot is now the main route by which a counter-drone laser or microwave gets onto a US base.<\/p>\n<p>It also sits inside a far bigger spending push. On 29 September the Army said JIATF 401 had awarded ten contracts worth up to $4.15 billion combined for sensors, optical sights and gun-based systems under Domestic Shield, the effort to protect priority Defense Department sites inside the United States.<\/p>\n\n<div style=\"position:relative;padding-bottom:56.25%;height:0;overflow:hidden;margin:24px 0\"><iframe class=\"skip-lazy\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" loading=\"eager\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/xrSm0kz-nlo\" style=\"position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;border:0\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\n\n<p style=\"font-size:13px;color:#777;text-align:center;margin:-10px 0 24px;font-style:italic\">The LOCUST laser weapon system in its original BlueHalo presentation, before AeroVironment acquired the company.<\/p>\n<p>For years the directed-energy story has been told in demonstrations: a drone, a beam, a puff of smoke. The directed energy pilot is the Pentagon admitting that the hard part was never the beam. It is the generator, the spare parts, the airspace and the soldier on night shift at Grand Forks who has to keep the thing running.<\/p>\n<p><em>Sources: Pentagon release on the JIATF 401 directed energy pilot, 5 October 2026, as reported by Air &amp; Space Forces Magazine (Matthew Cox, 8 October 2026), Breaking Defense (Carley Welch, 5 October 2026), Defense News (Michael Scanlon, 6 October 2026), Inside Unmanned Systems, Interesting Engineering and The Defense Post (7 October 2026); DefenseScoop, 21 August 2026 (updated 24 August); AeroVironment release, 21 April 2026; Boeing feature on CLWS at Red Sands, 11 October 2024; U.S. Army release on IFPC-HPM at Balikatan 2025; Epirus video releases.<\/em><\/p>\n<!-- mfsh:bottom -->\n\n<button type=\"button\" class=\"mfsh-trigger mfsh-bottom\" data-mfsh-placement=\"bottom\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\"><svg><use href=\"#mfsh-i-share\"\/><\/svg>Share this story<\/button>\n\n<!-- \/mfsh:bottom -->\n\n<style>.mfq{margin:34px 0 8px}.mfq h2{font:26px\/1.3 \"Gilroy semiBold\",Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;color:#0d1117;padding-top:22px;margin:0 0 6px}.mfq .qa details{border-top:1px solid #5C91FF;margin:0;padding:0}.mfq .qa details:last-of-type{border-bottom:1px solid #e2e7ee}.mfq .qa summary{cursor:pointer;list-style:none;display:flex;justify-content:space-between;align-items:center;gap:16px;padding:22px 26px;font:18px\/1.7 \"Gilroy semiBold\",Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;color:#0d1117}.mfq .qa summary::-webkit-details-marker{display:none}.mfq .qa summary::after{content:\"+\";font:24px Helvetica,sans-serif;color:#3568e0;flex:0 0 auto}.mfq .qa details[open] summary::after{content:\"\\2013\"}.mfq .qa details:hover summary{color:#3568e0}.mfq .qa .a{font:16px\/1.7 \"Gilroy regular\",Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;color:#454e5e;padding:0 26px 24px}.mfq .qa .a a{color:#3568e0}@media(max-width:680px){.mfq .qa summary{padding:18px 14px;font-size:17px}.mfq .qa .a{padding:0 14px 20px}}<\/style>\n\n\n<section class=\"mfq\"><h2>Frequently Asked Questions<\/h2><div class=\"qa\"><details open><summary>What is the JIATF 401 directed energy pilot?<\/summary><div class=\"a\">The JIATF 401 directed energy pilot is a congressionally mandated programme, required by the fiscal 2026 National Defense Authorization Act, to field high-energy lasers and high-powered microwaves at US military bases for about a year. Service members operate and maintain the systems, generating real data on performance, costs, sustainment and integration with other counter-drone defences.<\/div><\/details><details><summary>Which directed energy weapons did the Pentagon select for the counter-drone pilot?<\/summary><div class=\"a\">The Pentagon selected four systems on 5 October 2026: AeroVironment\u2019s Palletized High-Energy Laser, Epirus\u2019 Leonidas high-powered microwave, Kord Technologies\u2019 Firefly high-energy laser and Boeing\u2019s Compact Laser Weapon System. Three are lasers and one is a microwave weapon. The Pentagon said it will keep evaluating additional directed energy systems.<\/div><\/details><details><summary>Where will the JIATF 401 directed energy weapons be tested?<\/summary><div class=\"a\">JIATF 401 named five host installations in May 2026: Fort Huachuca in Arizona, Fort Bliss in Texas, Naval Base Kitsap in Washington, Grand Forks Air Force Base in North Dakota and Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri. The Pentagon release did not say which system will go to which base or how many will be fielded.<\/div><\/details><details><summary>When and where is the directed energy shoot-off?<\/summary><div class=\"a\">The directed energy shoot-off is scheduled for December 2026 at Dugway Proving Ground, Utah, after the task force first pointed to Yuma Proving Ground in Arizona. JIATF 401 director Brig. Gen. Matt Ross has said systems that perform well should immediately receive a purchase order so production lines can start.<\/div><\/details><details><summary>What is the difference between a high-energy laser and a high-powered microwave?<\/summary><div class=\"a\">A high-energy laser focuses a beam on one drone at a time and holds it there until the heat damages or destroys the target. A high-powered microwave sends electromagnetic energy over an area to overwhelm drone electronics, so it can defeat several drones in one burst, though its wider footprint raises concerns about nearby systems.<\/div><\/details><details><summary>Why did the FAA close El Paso airspace over a counter-drone laser?<\/summary><div class=\"a\">In February 2026 the FAA briefly closed airspace over El Paso, Texas, after a counter-drone laser was used near Fort Bliss without coordinating with the agency. A safety assessment followed a March demonstration at White Sands, and in April the FAA said the tested laser systems, with proper controls, do not pose undue risk to passenger aircraft.<\/div><\/details><\/div><\/section>\n\n\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@type\":\"FAQPage\",\"mainEntity\":[{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"What is the JIATF 401 directed energy pilot?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"The JIATF 401 directed energy pilot is a congressionally mandated programme, required by the fiscal 2026 National Defense Authorization Act, to field high-energy lasers and high-powered microwaves at US military bases for about a year. Service members operate and maintain the systems, generating real data on performance, costs, sustainment and integration with other counter-drone defences.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"Which directed energy weapons did the Pentagon select for the counter-drone pilot?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"The Pentagon selected four systems on 5 October 2026: AeroVironment\u2019s Palletized High-Energy Laser, Epirus\u2019 Leonidas high-powered microwave, Kord Technologies\u2019 Firefly high-energy laser and Boeing\u2019s Compact Laser Weapon System. Three are lasers and one is a microwave weapon. The Pentagon said it will keep evaluating additional directed energy systems.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"Where will the JIATF 401 directed energy weapons be tested?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"JIATF 401 named five host installations in May 2026: Fort Huachuca in Arizona, Fort Bliss in Texas, Naval Base Kitsap in Washington, Grand Forks Air Force Base in North Dakota and Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri. The Pentagon release did not say which system will go to which base or how many will be fielded.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"When and where is the directed energy shoot-off?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"The directed energy shoot-off is scheduled for December 2026 at Dugway Proving Ground, Utah, after the task force first pointed to Yuma Proving Ground in Arizona. JIATF 401 director Brig. Gen. Matt Ross has said systems that perform well should immediately receive a purchase order so production lines can start.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"What is the difference between a high-energy laser and a high-powered microwave?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"A high-energy laser focuses a beam on one drone at a time and holds it there until the heat damages or destroys the target. A high-powered microwave sends electromagnetic energy over an area to overwhelm drone electronics, so it can defeat several drones in one burst, though its wider footprint raises concerns about nearby systems.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"Why did the FAA close El Paso airspace over a counter-drone laser?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"In February 2026 the FAA briefly closed airspace over El Paso, Texas, after a counter-drone laser was used near Fort Bliss without coordinating with the agency. A safety assessment followed a March demonstration at White Sands, and in April the FAA said the tested laser systems, with proper controls, do not pose undue risk to passenger aircraft.\"}}]}<\/script><div style=\"background:#f0f4ff;border-left:4px solid #5C91FF;padding:16px 20px;margin:32px 0 8px\"><p style=\"margin:0 0 8px;font-weight:600;color:#333\">Related Posts<\/p><p style=\"margin:4px 0\"><a href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/amp-hel-army-laser-cartel-drones-border-2026\/\">AMP-HEL: The Army Laser Burning Cartel Drones for $3 a Shot<\/a><\/p><p style=\"margin:4px 0\"><a href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/usaf-compact-laser-weapon-system-europe-counter-drone-2026\/\">Lasers Arrive in Europe to Kill Drones<\/a><\/p><p style=\"margin:4px 0\"><a href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/netherlands-eos-apollo-high-energy-laser-counter-drone-2026\/\">Apollo Laser: The Netherlands Will Build Australia\u2019s Drone Killer<\/a><\/p><p style=\"margin:4px 0\"><a href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/pentagon-airborne-directed-energy-weapons-counter-drone-2026\/\">The Pentagon Wants Lasers That Fly<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Pentagon\u2019s counter-drone task force has picked AeroVironment, Boeing, Kord and Epirus for a year-long directed energy pilot at five US bases, and a shoot-off at Dugway in December could end in on-the-spot purchase orders.<\/p>","protected":false},"author":26,"featured_media":27395250,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"editor_notices":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[664,670],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-27395265","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-military-aviation","category-news"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.6 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>JIATF 401 Directed Energy Pilot: Lasers and HPM | MiGFlug<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"JIATF 401 picks three lasers and a microwave for its directed energy pilot at five US bases, with a December shoot-off at Dugway Proving Ground.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/fr\/jiatf-401-directed-energy-pilot-lasers-microwave-shoot-off-2026\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"fr_FR\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"JIATF 401 Directed Energy Pilot: Lasers and HPM | MiGFlug\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"JIATF 401 picks three lasers and a microwave for its directed energy pilot at five US bases, with a December shoot-off at Dugway Proving Ground.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/fr\/jiatf-401-directed-energy-pilot-lasers-microwave-shoot-off-2026\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Afterburner - MiGFlug&#039;s Magazine\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/MiGFlug\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-10-09T08:51:47+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-10-09T08:51:55+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/10\/boeing-compact-laser-weapon-system-clws-red-sands-16x9-1.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1280\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"720\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Joseph Duncan\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@migflug\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@migflug\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Joseph Duncan\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"10 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/jiatf-401-directed-energy-pilot-lasers-microwave-shoot-off-2026\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/jiatf-401-directed-energy-pilot-lasers-microwave-shoot-off-2026\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Joseph Duncan\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/it\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/b969321b26faa21775f0c40e141cdf85\"},\"headline\":\"JIATF 401 Directed Energy Pilot: Three Lasers and a Microwave\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-10-09T08:51:47+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-10-09T08:51:55+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/jiatf-401-directed-energy-pilot-lasers-microwave-shoot-off-2026\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":1923,\"commentCount\":0,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/it\\\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/jiatf-401-directed-energy-pilot-lasers-microwave-shoot-off-2026\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/4\\\/2026\\\/10\\\/boeing-compact-laser-weapon-system-clws-red-sands-16x9-1.jpg\",\"articleSection\":[\"Military Aviation\",\"News\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/jiatf-401-directed-energy-pilot-lasers-microwave-shoot-off-2026\\\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/jiatf-401-directed-energy-pilot-lasers-microwave-shoot-off-2026\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/jiatf-401-directed-energy-pilot-lasers-microwave-shoot-off-2026\\\/\",\"name\":\"JIATF 401 Directed Energy Pilot: Lasers and HPM | MiGFlug\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/it\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/jiatf-401-directed-energy-pilot-lasers-microwave-shoot-off-2026\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/jiatf-401-directed-energy-pilot-lasers-microwave-shoot-off-2026\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/4\\\/2026\\\/10\\\/boeing-compact-laser-weapon-system-clws-red-sands-16x9-1.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-10-09T08:51:47+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-10-09T08:51:55+00:00\",\"description\":\"JIATF 401 picks three lasers and a microwave for its directed energy pilot at five US bases, with a December shoot-off at Dugway Proving Ground.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/jiatf-401-directed-energy-pilot-lasers-microwave-shoot-off-2026\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/jiatf-401-directed-energy-pilot-lasers-microwave-shoot-off-2026\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/jiatf-401-directed-energy-pilot-lasers-microwave-shoot-off-2026\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/4\\\/2026\\\/10\\\/boeing-compact-laser-weapon-system-clws-red-sands-16x9-1.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/4\\\/2026\\\/10\\\/boeing-compact-laser-weapon-system-clws-red-sands-16x9-1.jpg\",\"width\":1280,\"height\":720},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/jiatf-401-directed-energy-pilot-lasers-microwave-shoot-off-2026\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Startseite\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/it\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"JIATF 401 Directed Energy Pilot: Three Lasers and a Microwave\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/it\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/it\\\/\",\"name\":\"Afterburner - MiGFlug's Magazine\",\"description\":\"for those interested in flying military jets and aviation related  topics\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/it\\\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/it\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/it\\\/#organization\",\"name\":\"MiGFlug GmbH\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/it\\\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/it\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ml5psubhxdln.i.optimole.com\\\/cb:0e0_.b970\\\/w:897\\\/h:278\\\/q:mauto\\\/ig:avif\\\/https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/4\\\/2026\\\/06\\\/MIGFLUG_LOGO-no-background.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ml5psubhxdln.i.optimole.com\\\/cb:0e0_.b970\\\/w:897\\\/h:278\\\/q:mauto\\\/ig:avif\\\/https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/4\\\/2026\\\/06\\\/MIGFLUG_LOGO-no-background.png\",\"width\":897,\"height\":278,\"caption\":\"MiGFlug GmbH\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/it\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.facebook.com\\\/MiGFlug\\\/\",\"https:\\\/\\\/x.com\\\/migflug\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.instagram.com\\\/migflug\\\/\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.youtube.com\\\/user\\\/MiGFlug\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.linkedin.com\\\/company\\\/migflug.com\\\/\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.pinterest.ch\\\/migflug\\\/\"]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/it\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/b969321b26faa21775f0c40e141cdf85\",\"name\":\"Joseph Duncan\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/cd6d4cc4c63e8c05a1f5db9308c285d6dd9753e6d076a39f8c5ed9a7d9f7c523?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/cd6d4cc4c63e8c05a1f5db9308c285d6dd9753e6d076a39f8c5ed9a7d9f7c523?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/cd6d4cc4c63e8c05a1f5db9308c285d6dd9753e6d076a39f8c5ed9a7d9f7c523?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Joseph Duncan\"},\"description\":\"Joseph Duncan covers breaking defence news \u2014 fast, sharp dispatches on the Pentagon, procurement and the world\u2019s air forces.\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/fr\\\/author\\\/josephduncan\\\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"JIATF 401 Directed Energy Pilot: Lasers and HPM | MiGFlug","description":"JIATF 401 picks three lasers and a microwave for its directed energy pilot at five US bases, with a December shoot-off at Dugway Proving Ground.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/fr\/jiatf-401-directed-energy-pilot-lasers-microwave-shoot-off-2026\/","og_locale":"fr_FR","og_type":"article","og_title":"JIATF 401 Directed Energy Pilot: Lasers and HPM | MiGFlug","og_description":"JIATF 401 picks three lasers and a microwave for its directed energy pilot at five US bases, with a December shoot-off at Dugway Proving Ground.","og_url":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/fr\/jiatf-401-directed-energy-pilot-lasers-microwave-shoot-off-2026\/","og_site_name":"Afterburner - MiGFlug's Magazine","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/MiGFlug\/","article_published_time":"2026-10-09T08:51:47+00:00","article_modified_time":"2026-10-09T08:51:55+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1280,"height":720,"url":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/10\/boeing-compact-laser-weapon-system-clws-red-sands-16x9-1.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Joseph Duncan","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@migflug","twitter_site":"@migflug","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Joseph Duncan","Est. reading time":"10 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/jiatf-401-directed-energy-pilot-lasers-microwave-shoot-off-2026\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/jiatf-401-directed-energy-pilot-lasers-microwave-shoot-off-2026\/"},"author":{"name":"Joseph Duncan","@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/it\/#\/schema\/person\/b969321b26faa21775f0c40e141cdf85"},"headline":"JIATF 401 Directed Energy Pilot: Three Lasers and a Microwave","datePublished":"2026-10-09T08:51:47+00:00","dateModified":"2026-10-09T08:51:55+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/jiatf-401-directed-energy-pilot-lasers-microwave-shoot-off-2026\/"},"wordCount":1923,"commentCount":0,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/it\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/jiatf-401-directed-energy-pilot-lasers-microwave-shoot-off-2026\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/10\/boeing-compact-laser-weapon-system-clws-red-sands-16x9-1.jpg","articleSection":["Military Aviation","News"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/jiatf-401-directed-energy-pilot-lasers-microwave-shoot-off-2026\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/jiatf-401-directed-energy-pilot-lasers-microwave-shoot-off-2026\/","url":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/jiatf-401-directed-energy-pilot-lasers-microwave-shoot-off-2026\/","name":"JIATF 401 Directed Energy Pilot: Lasers and HPM | MiGFlug","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/it\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/jiatf-401-directed-energy-pilot-lasers-microwave-shoot-off-2026\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/jiatf-401-directed-energy-pilot-lasers-microwave-shoot-off-2026\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/10\/boeing-compact-laser-weapon-system-clws-red-sands-16x9-1.jpg","datePublished":"2026-10-09T08:51:47+00:00","dateModified":"2026-10-09T08:51:55+00:00","description":"JIATF 401 picks three lasers and a microwave for its directed energy pilot at five US bases, with a December shoot-off at Dugway Proving Ground.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/jiatf-401-directed-energy-pilot-lasers-microwave-shoot-off-2026\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/jiatf-401-directed-energy-pilot-lasers-microwave-shoot-off-2026\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/jiatf-401-directed-energy-pilot-lasers-microwave-shoot-off-2026\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/10\/boeing-compact-laser-weapon-system-clws-red-sands-16x9-1.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/10\/boeing-compact-laser-weapon-system-clws-red-sands-16x9-1.jpg","width":1280,"height":720},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/jiatf-401-directed-energy-pilot-lasers-microwave-shoot-off-2026\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Startseite","item":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/it\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"JIATF 401 Directed Energy Pilot: Three Lasers and a Microwave"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/it\/#website","url":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/it\/","name":"Afterburner - Le magazine de MiGFlug","description":"pour ceux qui s&#039;int\u00e9ressent au pilotage d&#039;avions militaires et aux sujets li\u00e9s \u00e0 l&#039;aviation","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/it\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/it\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/it\/#organization","name":"MiGFlug GmbH","url":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/it\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/it\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/ml5psubhxdln.i.optimole.com\/cb:0e0_.b970\/w:897\/h:278\/q:mauto\/ig:avif\/https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/06\/MIGFLUG_LOGO-no-background.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/ml5psubhxdln.i.optimole.com\/cb:0e0_.b970\/w:897\/h:278\/q:mauto\/ig:avif\/https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/06\/MIGFLUG_LOGO-no-background.png","width":897,"height":278,"caption":"MiGFlug GmbH"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/it\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/MiGFlug\/","https:\/\/x.com\/migflug","https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/migflug\/","https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/user\/MiGFlug","https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/migflug.com\/","https:\/\/www.pinterest.ch\/migflug\/"]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/it\/#\/schema\/person\/b969321b26faa21775f0c40e141cdf85","name":"Joseph Duncan","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/cd6d4cc4c63e8c05a1f5db9308c285d6dd9753e6d076a39f8c5ed9a7d9f7c523?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/cd6d4cc4c63e8c05a1f5db9308c285d6dd9753e6d076a39f8c5ed9a7d9f7c523?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/cd6d4cc4c63e8c05a1f5db9308c285d6dd9753e6d076a39f8c5ed9a7d9f7c523?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Joseph Duncan"},"description":"Joseph Duncan couvre l&#039;actualit\u00e9 de la d\u00e9fense en temps r\u00e9el \u2014 des d\u00e9p\u00eaches rapides et pr\u00e9cises sur le Pentagone, les acquisitions et les forces a\u00e9riennes du monde entier.","url":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/fr\/author\/josephduncan\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27395265","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/26"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=27395265"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27395265\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":27395285,"href":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27395265\/revisions\/27395285"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/27395250"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=27395265"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=27395265"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=27395265"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}