WASHINGTON — In Norse mythology, the thunder god Thor used his legendary hammer Mjölnir to slay giants. Within the “Avengers” movies, it was wielded by superheroes to battle the evil Thanos.
However the U.S. Air Power is now working by itself Mjölnir, one it hopes will show to be a revolutionary drone killer.
The Air Power Analysis Laboratory mentioned Friday it has awarded a $26 million contract to Leidos to construct a prototype system by that identify that can zap small unmanned aerial programs with high-power microwaves and disable them.
In its launch, AFRL mentioned Mjölnir can be constructed on expertise demonstrated lately by its Tactical Excessive Energy Operational Responder, or THOR, program.
“As a result of THOR was so profitable, we wished to maintain the brand new system’s identify within the household,” mentioned Adrian Lucero, THOR program supervisor from AFRL’s directed power directorate at Kirtland Air Power Base in New Mexico.
Work on the venture will start at Leidos’ Albuquerque services this spring, and AFRL needs to have a prototype delivered in 2023.
As small drones turn into cheaper, more practical and accessible to on a regular basis customers, the potential menace they might pose to navy bases will increase. They can be utilized not solely to snoop or spy on navy installations, but in addition to assault them if loaded with explosives.
The pinnacle of U.S. Central Command, Marine Corps Gen. Kenneth McKenzie, a 12 months in the past referred to as the unfold of small, low cost, off-the-shelf drones the “most regarding tactical improvement” because the improvised explosive system emerged throughout the Iraq Battle.
“I believe what we’re seeing is the emergence of a brand new part of warfare,” McKenzie mentioned on the time.
The Protection Division has turn into so involved it created a Joint Counter-Small Unmanned Plane Workplace, led by the Army, to determine easy methods to thwart the specter of small drones.
The Army can also be planning to spend greater than $50 million this 12 months to develop technological strategies to neutralize small drones, together with programs like THOR.
THOR makes use of radio waves in intense bursts to disable small drones and is able to taking out a number of targets directly. After a profitable demonstration at Kirtland final 12 months, the Army mentioned, it plans to field-test THOR, probably as early as 2024, as a solution to defend its bases from small drones.
Mjölnir will use THOR’s expertise, with enhancements AFRL mentioned will make it extra succesful and dependable. Lucero mentioned the lab is transitioning its expertise to Leidos so the corporate can construct a number of programs sooner or later.
“Mjölnir will give attention to creating an in depth blueprint for all future [counter-unmanned aerial system high-power microwave] programs with enhanced vary and expertise for detecting and monitoring” drones, Lucero mentioned.
AFRL spent $15 million to develop THOR with BAE Methods, Leidos and Verus Analysis, an engineering agency primarily based in Albuquerque.
The navy has additionally tried to shoot down small drones with bullets or use nets to ensnare them. However an AFRL program supervisor informed the Albuquerque Journal final 12 months that THOR’s radio bursts have a wider engagement vary, are silent and are instantaneous.
Stephen Losey is the air warfare reporter at Protection News. He beforehand reported for Navy.com, overlaying the Pentagon, particular operations and air warfare. Earlier than that, he coated U.S. Air Power management, personnel and operations for Air Power Instances.
