Updated November 14, 2022
Defense Primer: Directed-Energy Weapons
Both the 2022 National Defense Strategy and the House
Directed-Energy Weapons Programs
Armed Services Committee’s bipartisan Future of Defense
A number of countries are investing in directed-energy
Task Force Report have identified directed energy as a
weapons programs. This In Focus discusses a selection of
technology that could have a significant impact on U.S.
unclassified DE weapons programs in three leading military
national security in the years to come. As the Department of
powers: the United States, China, and Russia.
Defense (DOD) continues to invest in directed-energy (DE)
weapons, Congress may consider implications for defense
United States
authorizations, appropriations, and oversight.
The DOD has a number of DE development programs
underway, requesting at least $669 million in FY2023 for
Overview
unclassified DE research, development, test, and evaluation
DOD defines DE weapons as those using concentrated
(RDT&E) and at least $345 million for unclassified DE
electromagnetic energy, rather than kinetic energy, to
weapons procurement. For additional information about
“incapacitate, damage, disable, or destroy enemy
specific U.S. DE weapons programs, see CRS Report
equipment, facilities, and/or personnel.” DE weapons
R44175, Navy Lasers, Railgun, and Gun-Launched Guided
include high-energy lasers (HEL) and high-powered
Projectile: Background and Issues for Congress, by Ronald
microwave (HPM) weapons; other DE weapons, such as
O'Rourke, and CRS Report R45098, U.S. Army Weapons-
particle beam weapons, are outside the scope of this In
Related Directed Energy (DE) Programs: Background and
Focus.
Potential Issues for Congress, by Andrew Feickert.
HELs might be used by ground forces in short-range air
DOD directed energy programs are coordinated by the
defense (SHORAD), counter-unmanned aircraft systems
Principal Director for Directed Energy within the Office of
(C-UAS), or counter-rocket, artillery, and mortar (C-RAM)
the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and
missions. The weapons might be used to “dazzle” (i.e.,
Engineering (OUSD[R&E]). The Principal Director for
temporarily disable) or damage satellites and sensors. This
Directed Energy is additionally responsible for
could in turn interfere with intelligence-gathering
development and oversight of the Directed Energy
operations; military communications; and positioning,
Roadmap. According to OUSD(R&E), DOD’s current DE
navigation, and timing systems used for weapons targeting.
roadmap outlines DOD’s plan to increase power levels of
In addition, HELs could theoretically provide options for
DE weapons from around 150 kilowatts (kW—a unit of
boost-phase missile intercept, given their speed-of-light
power), as is currently feasible, to 300 kW by FY2023,
travel time; however, experts disagree on the affordability,
“with goal milestones to achieve 500 kW class with
technological feasibility, and utility of this application.
reduced size and weight by FY2025 and to further reduce
size and weight and increase power to MW [megawatt]
In general, HELs might offer lower costs per shot and—
levels by FY2026.” For reference, although there is no
assuming access to a sufficient power supply—deeper
consensus regarding the precise power level that would be
magazines compared with traditional munitions. (Although
needed to neutralize different target sets, some analysts
a number of different types of HELs exist, many of the
believe that lasers of around 100 kW could engage
United States’ current programs are solid state lasers, which
unmanned aircraft systems, small boats, rockets, artillery,
are fueled by electrical power. As a result, the cost per shot
and mortars, whereas lasers of around 300 kW could
is equivalent to the cost of the electrical power required to
additionally engage cruise missiles flying in certain profiles
fire the shot.) This could in turn produce a favorable cost-
(i.e., flying across—rather than at—the laser). Lasers of 1
exchange ratio for the defender, whose marginal costs
MW could potentially neutralize ballistic missiles and
would be significantly lower than those of the aggressor.
hypersonic weapons.
Similarly, HPM weapons could provide a nonkinetic means
In addition to the DE roadmap, OUSD(R&E) manages the
of disabling adversary electronics and communications
High Energy Laser Scaling Initiative (HELSI), which
systems. These weapons could potentially generate effects
former Principal Director for Directed Energy Dr. Jim
over wider areas than HELs, which emit a narrower beam
Trebes notes is “to demonstrate laser output power scaling
of energy. As a result, some analysts have noted that HPM
while maintaining or improving beam quality and
weapons might provide more effective area defense against
efficiency.” HELSI is intended to strengthen the defense
missile salvos and swarms of drones. HPM weapons have
industrial base for potential future directed energy weapons
also been considered for use as nonlethal “heat ray”
by providing near-term prototyping opportunities for
systems for crowd control.
industry partners. Dr. Trebes additionally notes that
OUSD(R&E) has completed a DOD-wide Laser Lethality
Analysis Process Review to identify future needs for the
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Defense Primer: Directed-Energy Weapons
Department and best practices for DE development and use.
cooling requirements can limit the range and beam quality
According to OUSD(R&E), DOD is also testing a Directed
of HELs, in turn reducing their effectiveness. Traditional
Energy Lethality Database that is to serve as a searchable
weapons, in contrast, are not affected by these factors.
repository for the department’s DE analyses.
How, if at all, might HEL limitations be mitigated by
technological developments, concepts of operation, or other
China
methods? What impact might a failure to mitigate these
According to the US-China Economic and Security Review
limitations have on future military operations?
Commission, China has been developing DE weapons since
at least the 1980s and has made steady progress in
Mission Utility
developing HPM and increasingly powerful HELs. China
Given the strengths and weaknesses of DE weapons, DOD
has reportedly developed a 30-kilowatt road-mobile HEL,
is continuing to examine their role within the military. DOD
LW-30, designed to engage unmanned aircraft systems and
is additionally conducting multiple utility studies to analyze
precision-guided weapons. Reports indicate that China is
potential concepts of operation for DE weapons and to
also developing an airborne HEL pod.
assess the scenarios in which they might be militarily
useful. How might Congress draw upon the conclusions of
According to the Defense Intelligence Agency, China is
these analyses as it conducts oversight of DE weapons
additionally pursuing DE weapons
programs? What is the appropriate balance between DE
weapons and traditional munitions within the military’s
to disrupt, degrade, or damage satellites and their
portfolio of capabilities?
sensors and possibly already has a limited
capability to employ laser systems against satellite
Defense Industrial Base
sensors. China [has likely fielded] a ground-based
Some analysts have expressed concerns that, in the past,
laser weapon that can counter low-orbit space-
DOD did not provide stable funding for DE weapons
based sensors ... and by the mid-to-late 2020s, it
programs or sufficient opportunities for the DE workforce.
may field higher power systems that extend the
According to OUSD(R&E), HELSI is intended to address
threat to the structures of non-optical satellites.
these concerns by providing industry with assured
prototyping opportunities. In what ways, if any, has HELSI
Russia
strengthened the defense industrial base for DE weapons?
Russia has been conducting DE weapons research since the
What, if any, challenges does the base continue to face and
1960s, with a particular emphasis on HELs. Russia has
how might they be mitigated?
reportedly deployed the Peresvet ground-based HEL with
Intelligence Requirements
several mobile intercontinental ballistic missile units.
Although little is publicly known about Peresvet, including
Some analysts have questioned whether DOD has sufficient
its power level, some analysts assert it is to dazzle satellites
knowledge of adversary DE weapons systems and materials
and provide point defense against unmanned aircraft
to develop its weapons requirements. DOD is currently
systems. Russia’s deputy defense minister Alexei
attempting to further define its DE collection requirements
Krivoruchko has stated that efforts are underway to increase
for the intelligence community (IC) through the Directed
Peresvet’s power level and to deploy it on military aircraft.
Energy Lethality Intelligence initiative. To what extent, if at
Reports suggest that Russia may also be developing HPMs
all, is this initiative improving connectivity between DOD’s
as well as additional HELs capable of performing anti-
DE community and the IC? What collection requirements,
satellite missions.
if any, remain?
Potential Issues and Questions for
Coordination within DOD
Congress
Pursuant to Section 219 of the FY2017 National Defense
Authorization Act (P.L. 114-328), OUSD(R&E)’s Principal
Technological Maturity
Director for directed energy is tasked with coordinating DE
Directed-energy weapons programs continue to face
efforts across DOD and with developing DOD’s Directed
questions about their technological maturity, including the
Energy Roadmap, which is to guide development efforts.
ability to improve beam quality and control to militarily
To what extent are the military departments and defense
useful levels and the ability to meet size, weight, and power
agencies adhering to this roadmap? What, if any, additional
(SWaP) and cooling requirements for integration into
authorities or structural changes would be required to
current platforms. Some DE systems are small enough to fit
ensure proper coordination throughout DOD?
on military vehicles, but many require larger and/or fixed
platforms that could potentially limit deployment options
Related CRS Products
and operational utility. In what ways, if any, are DOD
CRS Report R46925, Department of Defense Directed Energy
technology maturation efforts reducing the SWaP and
Weapons: Background and Issues for Congress, coordinated by
cooling requirements of DE systems?
Kelley M. Sayler.
Weapons Characteristics

Although HELs may offer a lower cost per shot than
traditional weapons such as missiles, they are also subject
to a number of limitations. For example, atmospheric
Kelley M. Sayler, Analyst in Advanced Technology and
conditions (e.g., rain, fog, obscurants) and SWaP and
Global Security
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Defense Primer: Directed-Energy Weapons

IF11882
John R. Hoehn, Analyst in Military Capabilities and
Programs


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https://crsreports.congress.gov | IF11882 · VERSION 5 · UPDATED

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