(RepublicanPress.org) – The use of drones, or uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs), dates back to the Civil War when military forces on both sides launched balloons carrying explosives. The Navy developed a radio-controlled biplane drone in the 1930s called the Curtiss N2C-2. The expanded capabilities of modern drones have raised serious security concerns, leading to the development of a new advanced weapons system recently unveiled by the United States Air Force.
On June 16, the Air Force announced the release of a computer-generated animation demonstrating the capabilities of a new defense system that can take out hundreds of drones at one time. Aptly named Tactical High-power Operational Responder (THOR), the system hammers drones using directed microwave energy.
Have you had issues visualizing how our Tactical High-power Operational Responder, THOR, works?
This animation our team put together depicting THOR would defend a base against drone attacks should help: https://t.co/taeJPYsAD1#AFResearchLab #AFRLTech #DirectedEnergy pic.twitter.com/oR2kkSUvTw
— Air Force Research Lab – AFRL (@AFResearchLab) June 10, 2021
Amber Anderson, THOR’s program manager, explained that the system uses “powerful radio wave bursts” to silently and instantaneously engage drones and knock them out of the sky. As she explained, they offer a greater range than bullets.
THOR uses a standard electrical outlet and neatly fits into a 20-foot transport carrier. Operators can set up the system within about three hours. The system uses a simple user interface requiring nominal training.
THOR’s development cost about $15 million, a drop in the bucket compared to the cost of other modern weapons systems. This could give US military units a major advantage over enemies.
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