ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — The U.S. Navy and Air Pressure analysis laboratories are wrapping up a five-year joint effort to advance high-power microwave know-how this summer season with two months of testing in California.
The Excessive-Powered Joint Electromagnetic Non-Kinetic Strike Weapon, often called HiJENKS, makes use of microwave know-how to disable an adversary’s digital methods. The Air Pressure Analysis Laboratory and the Workplace of Naval Analysis are conducting the capstone checks at Naval Air Station China Lake.
HiJENKS is the successor to the AFRL’s Counter-electronics Excessive-Energy Microwave Superior Missile Mission, which accomplished testing a decade in the past. Jeffry Heggemeier, chief of AFRL’s high-power electromagnetics division, instructed reporters throughout a June 24 go to to the lab’s Directed Vitality Directorate at Kirtland Air Pressure Base in New Mexico this system builds on CHAMP, making the most of new know-how that permits for a smaller system geared up for a extra rugged atmosphere.
Heggemeier mentioned this system hasn’t but designated a platform for the weapon, however famous HiJENKS’ smaller footprint means it could possibly be built-in on a wider vary of service methods.
“We’ll begin taking a look at extra service-specific functions as soon as we’ve performed this check that demonstrates the know-how,” he mentioned.
AFRL can also be making progress on a extra superior model of its Tactical Excessive Energy Operational Responder (THOR), which makes use of HPM know-how to disable drone swarms that pose a risk to army bases. The subsequent-generation platform is called Mjölnir as an homage to the legendary god Thor’s hammer. AFRL awarded Leidos a $26 million contract in February to develop the Mjölnir prototype and ship it in early 2024.
Adrian Lucero, THOR and Mjölnir program supervisor, instructed reporters throughout the identical June 24 briefing that counter-drone methods have gotten more and more related as unmanned aerial car know-how advances.
“There are different effectors on the market which can be meant to go towards drone methods like weapons, nets and laser methods,” he mentioned. “However what Thor brings to the desk is it has a bigger vary to have an effect on and it has a decreased engagement time.”
The THOR prototype returned final month from a 12 months of operational testing abroad. Whereas the system was in use, this system workforce was onerous at work creating the Mjolnir upgrades to increase THOR’s vary, improve its energy by about 50% and enhance its usability — suggestions from the Air Pressure Safety Forces who have been utilizing it throughout the deployment.
“We realized loads of classes from it being abroad, simply working in that operational atmosphere, having Air Pressure Safety Forces airmen pulling the set off and breaking it,” Heggemeier mentioned.
Lucero and Heggemeier wouldn’t disclose the place THOR was deployed, however Lucero mentioned the system proved 94% dependable throughout its operational evaluation, demonstrating its capacity “in the actual world.”
As soon as the prototype arrived again in New Mexico, the workforce disassembled and inspected it after which reassembled it for baseline testing to make sure it’s working as designed. Lucero mentioned this system is now testing the Mjölnir upgrades.
Courtney Albon is C4ISRNET’s area and rising know-how reporter. She beforehand coated the U.S. Air Pressure and U.S. House Pressure for Inside Protection.
