UPDATE 6.16.26: The Department of Defense announced a pilot program selecting five US military bases—Naval Base Kitsap, Fort Bliss, Fort Huachuca, Grand Forks Air Force Base, and Whiteman Air Force Base—to test directed-energy counter-drone systems, including lasers and high-powered microwaves.
The program, led by Joint Interagency Task Force 401, aims to improve defenses against increasing drone incursions by evaluating a “layered defense” approach across different operational environments. It will also assess safety and coordination with civilian airspace before wider deployment across the military.
- $500M Contract Award: JIATF 401 awarded a three-year, $500 million contract to Perennial Autonomy for AI-enabled counter-UAS, including deployable, low-cost air-to-air drone interceptors. [US DOW] 5-18-26
- 2026 FIFA World Cup Support: The task force has enabled access to over $100 million in counter-drone capabilities, providing crucial planning and technical input for FBI-led protection operations across the 11 World Cup host cities. [US DOW] 6-9-26
- Southern Border Protection: In response to drone incursions, the task force deployed more than $20 million in C-UAS technology to the U.S.-Mexico border, establishing a network of advanced sensors and mobile mitigation systems. [US DOW] 4-2-26
- New Technology Testing: The task force has partnered with paratroopers to test autonomous, “low-collateral” kinetic interceptors (such as the Bumblebee V2 drone) designed to capture or incapacitate enemy systems with minimal damage to surrounding infrastructure. [US DOW] 4-30-26
- Standardization & Guidance: To streamline capabilities, JIATF 401 published standardized test and evaluation criteria for C-UAS technologies, alongside an unclassified guide on detecting drones while upholding civilian privacy protections. [Counter-UAS Operations: Safeguarding Freedoms & Preserving Privacy, Joint Interagency Task Force 401 Common Criteria for CUAS Characterization (C4)]
FBI Disrupts Alleged Drone Attack Plot Targeting UFC Event in Washington, D.C.
Separately, federal authorities recently disrupted a suspected drone-based attack targeting the UFC America 250 event held in Washington, D.C., after learning of a threat on June 10. Following a multistate investigation, authorities took multiple suspects into custody before the event took place.
According to reports cited by Reuters, the alleged plot may have involved a drone equipped with explosives targeting buildings near the venue. FBI Director Kash Patel said the threat involved individuals from outside the Washington area and that law enforcement agencies worked together to disrupt the plan. Officials have not publicly disclosed the full details of the operation or all charges involved
Did China Develop Microwave Weapons to Target Starlink Satellites?
On the international front, the Asia Times reports that China is developing high-power microwave weapons capable of disrupting satellite networks such as Starlink. These mobile systems are designed for electronic warfare, aiming to disable communications and navigation systems in space-based infrastructure without physically destroying them.
Originally posted May 7th, 2025:
Nations are rapidly developing advanced weapons to counter the growing threat of drones, especially low-cost, swarm-capable systems. High-power microwave (HPM) weapons are a key focus, as they can disable drones by disrupting their electronics without expensive ammunition. The US and China are leading this push, each testing next-gen microwave systems designed for battlefield use, aiming to create cost-effective, reliable defenses against increasingly sophisticated unmanned aerial threats.
According to Christopher McFadden of Interesting Engineering, Chinese scientists have developed a high-power microwave gun that can fire over 10,000 times without failing, targeting drones, missiles, and satellites. Key innovations reduce maintenance and boost reliability, marking a potential leap in China’s advanced weapons tech.
The US is also developing microwave weapons using gallium nitride (GaN) semiconductors, which don’t require a vacuum to operate. However, China’s restrictions on gallium exports have complicated US efforts. Meanwhile, China is advancing both vacuum-based and GaN-based systems, giving it a potential edge in next-gen directed energy weapons. McFadden writes:
Chinese scientists have allegedly created a new type of high-power microwave (HPM) gun that can fire over 10,000 times without failing. Concrete details are thin on the ground, but the weapon is about the size of a Gatling gun and is very robust.
According to reports, the new weapon fires high-powered microwave beams that can disable drones, missiles, aircraft, and even low-orbit satellites by rendering their electronics inoperable. […]
China is not the only nation attempting to produce reliable and battlefield-useable microwave weapons. The United States (US), for its part, is developing its microwave weapons based on gallium nitride (GaN) semiconductors, which can operate without requiring a vacuum.
However, China is restricting the export of gallium, making it harder for the US to obtain the materials it needs. At the same time, China is advancing both vacuum-based microwave guns and GaN-based solid-state weapons.
According to analysts, this two-pronged approach could give China an advantage in next-generation weapon systems.
The Philippines and the US launched Balikatan 2025 on April 21, their biggest joint drill yet, featuring the first Indo-Pacific test of the US Army’s drone-disabling microwave weapon, IFPC-HPM. The exercise highlights growing military ties and counter-drone efforts amid China tensions, reports Joe Saballa of The Defense Post. He writes:
The US Army has tested its cutting-edge microwave weapons in the Philippines for the first time, marking a major show of force as tensions with China continue.
The trial featured the Integrated Fires Protection Capability–High-Powered Microwave (IFPC-HPM) and the Fixed Site–Low, Slow, Small Unmanned Aerial System Integrated Defeat System (FS-LIDS), both deployed to the Philippines’ western coast, facing the South China Sea. […]
This marks the first deployment of both microwave systems, not just in the Philippines, but anywhere in the Indo-Pacific region. […]
Data from the exercise will be analyzed to refine counter-drone tactics and inform future requirements for microwave weapons.
Read more here.
