Military Employed Lasers to Down Drones over Middle East Territory: Claim
America's Defense Against Drones: The Game Changer - Lasers
💣 Straight Up: The U.S. military is using futuristic death lasers to blow enemy drones out of the sky in the Middle East, allegedly the first official confirmation of their use against a foe by the Pentagon.
🎯 Point and Shoot: Doug Bush, the U.S. Army's acquisitions head, spilled the beans to Forbes, admitting that these high-tech death rays work "in some cases." He didn't specify which exact laser weapons were employed, but pundits believe we're talkin' 'bout the P-HEL.
⚡ "In the Right Conditions...": No details have been spilled about which enemies have been targeted, but the Houthis in Yemen seem like the likely culprits. They've been using drones to disrupt maritime traffic in the Red Sea since Israel's conflict with Gaza started. By 2021, word had already spread that American lasers might soon be used against those pesky $2,000 drones the Houthis launch.
💰 From Soldier to Drone Killer: The U.S. military has traditionally shot down the Houthis' drones with expensive American missiles that cost as much as $2 million each. But lasers are where it's at, man, with costs ranging from $1 to $10 for each shot, according to a 2023 GAO report. Sure, that doesn't account for the hefty R&D expenses, but missiles aren't exactly free either.
- By 2023, it's commonly expected that the future of anti-drone technology will heavily involve lasers, as suggested by a GAO report.
- The use of high-tech lasers for defense against drones is not a foreign concept to Forbes, having reported on their potential deployment against adversaries.
- In the years to come, tech specialists may commonly focus on developing laser technology for defeating drones, given its cost-effectiveness compared to traditional missiles.
- The U.S. military's shift towards laser technology for drone defense could potentially disrupt the dominance of drone manufacturers by making anti-drone measures more affordable.
