Raytheon Phaser Microwave Weapon Downs Drone Targets in Army Trials

AviationWeek

Live-fire evaluations at Fort Sill prove trailer-mounted high-power microwave systems can network with battlefield radar to destroy multiple drone classes instantaneously at tactical ranges.

AI-assisted summary of Raytheon’s High-Power Microwave Weapon Downs Drones — original source. Check the original for full context.

Source published: 2016-11-11

Key ideas

The U.S. Army Fires Center of Excellence conducted a directed-energy field evaluation at Fort Sill, demonstrating non-kinetic high-power microwave capabilities alongside kinetic fires against UAS threats. (0:06)
Raytheon's deployable Phaser HPM weapon successfully downed both Tempest (Tier 2) and Flanker (Tier 1) drones during live-fire tests. (0:42)
The Phaser demonstration unit operated as a self-contained mobile system mounted in a 20-foot trailer with an internal diesel generator. (0:42)
Since the 2013 demonstration, Raytheon reduced the Phaser payload size by 50% and prepared the system for operational deployment.

Detailed notes

## Background Published by AviationWeek on YouTube on November 11, 2016, this video features Defense Department-cleared footage of Raytheon's "Phaser" high-power microwave weapon during a 2013 demonstration at the U.S. Army Fires Center of Excellence at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. According to the page description, the release captures the swarm-destroying system neutralizing Flanker and Tempest drones, noting that Raytheon has since halved the payload's size to offer it for operational service.

## TL;DR The video documents a live directed-energy hardware demonstration conducted by the U.S. Army Fires Center of Excellence to integrate non-kinetic air defense alongside traditional fires. Mounted inside a self-contained 20-foot trailer with an onboard diesel generator, Raytheon's Phaser high-power microwave system was cued using Sentinel and close combat tactical radars tied into the Command View Tactical network. Upon entering the weapon's engagement corridor, incoming Tier 1 Flanker and Tier 2 Tempest drones were struck by speed-of-light microwave energy, resulting in immediate, verifiable kills. The trials confirmed the tactical viability of deploying directed-energy systems to neutralize drone threats at operationally relevant ranges.

## Atmosphere & style The presentation carries the measured, institutional gravitas of a formal military field-test briefing. A steady, authoritative narrator delivers technical objectives and sensor-kill chain milestones in a clear, procedural tone devoid of hype. Watching it feels like viewing an internal Pentagon capability review, where the silent, instantaneous neutralization of aerial targets underscores a clinical leap into the next generation of warfare.

## Bulletin - [00:06](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hlmf032NmHU&t=6s) The U.S. Army Fires Center of Excellence conducted a directed-energy field evaluation at Fort Sill, demonstrating non-kinetic high-power microwave capabilities alongside kinetic fires against UAS threats. - [00:42](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hlmf032NmHU&t=42s) Raytheon's deployable Phaser HPM weapon successfully downed both Tempest (Tier 2) and Flanker (Tier 1) drones during live-fire tests. - [00:42](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hlmf032NmHU&t=42s) The Phaser demonstration unit operated as a self-contained mobile system mounted in a 20-foot trailer with an internal diesel generator. - Since the 2013 demonstration, Raytheon reduced the Phaser payload size by 50% and prepared the system for operational deployment.

## Key takeaways - [00:06](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hlmf032NmHU&t=6s) The U.S. Army Fires Center of Excellence (FCoE) hosted a live-fire directed-energy hardware investigation at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, between late September and early October 2013. - [00:06](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hlmf032NmHU&t=6s) The evaluation aimed to validate the operational integration of non-kinetic directed-energy fires directly alongside traditional kinetic artillery and air defense capabilities. - [00:06](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hlmf032NmHU&t=6s) Testing benchmarks mandated engaging real aerial targets in the field, challenging multiple threat classifications simultaneously, and achieving kills at operationally relevant ranges. - [00:42](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hlmf032NmHU&t=42s) The core effector evaluated was Raytheon's Phaser high-power microwave (HPM) weapon system. - [00:42](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hlmf032NmHU&t=42s) Phaser offers selectable output parameters, allowing operators to either disrupt drone electronics or inflict permanent structural and functional damage. - [00:42](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hlmf032NmHU&t=42s) The system demonstrated flexible cueing capabilities, accepting target data from organic sensors or networked third-party tracking feeds. - [00:42](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hlmf032NmHU&t=42s) The demonstration hardware was self-contained within a 20-foot trailer powered by an onboard diesel generator. - [00:42](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hlmf032NmHU&t=42s) Target acquisition and tracking were supported by Sentinel radar and close combat tactical radar networked through Command View Tactical C2 and main gate radios. - [00:42](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hlmf032NmHU&t=42s) During tests, the Phaser beam maintained coverage over a sky sector, delivering speed-of-light microwave pulses that produced immediate kills on incoming Flanker and Tempest drones. - Footage of the successful 2013 trials was cleared by the Department of Defense for public release three years later in 2016.

## Detailed walkthrough ### [00:06](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hlmf032NmHU&t=6s) Objectives of the Fort Sill Directed-Energy Investigation

The U.S. Army Fires Center of Excellence (FCoE) has established the operational capability to integrate non-kinetic capabilities directly alongside traditional kinetic fires. To evaluate this emerging domain, the FCoE hosted a directed-energy hardware investigation at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, conducted between late September and early October of 2013. The exercise pit advanced directed-energy hardware against two distinct classifications of unmanned aerial systems (UAS) to assess tactical feasibility and lethality in the field.

The live demonstration was structured around rigorous operational benchmarks. Rather than conducting an abstract bench test, the evaluation set out to engage realistic aerial targets using a field-deployable directed-energy system, verify the system's effectiveness against multiple target types, engage simultaneous incoming threats, and neutralize those threats at tactically and operationally relevant ranges. As the narrator explains regarding the test parameters, “The objectives of this investigation were to engage real targets with a deployable directed-energy system, attack more than one type of threat, engage multiple threats simultaneously and kill these threats at operationally relevant ranges.”

- **Host Organization:** U.S. Army Fires Center of Excellence (FCoE) - **Location:** Fort Sill, Oklahoma - **Dates of Investigation:** September and October 2013 (live engagements running September 30 through October 3, 2013) - **Primary Goal:** Integration of non-kinetic directed-energy effects with traditional kinetic fires against Tier 1 and Tier 2 UAS threats

---

[00:42](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hlmf032NmHU&t=42s) The Phaser System Architecture and Engagement Results

At the core of the evaluation was Phaser, a deployable high-power microwave (HPM) weapon system designed with flexible cueing capabilities, operating via organic sensors or third-party track feeds. Configured for dynamic mission profiles, the weapon provides operators with selectable output parameters, giving them the tactical choice to either disrupt an incoming target’s electronics or deliver irreversible structural and functional damage. Mechanically, the demonstration system was completely self-contained, housed within a single 20-foot trailer that included its own internal diesel power generator.

```mermaid flowchart TD accTitle: Phaser System Architecture and Kill Chain accDescr: Sensor tracking feeds routed to Command View Tactical and dispatched to the Phaser HPM emitter to down aerial drones.

subgraph Sensors ["Surveillance & Tracking"] S1["Sentinel Radar"] S2["Close Combat Tactical Radar"] end

subgraph C2 ["Battle Management"] CVT["Command View Tactical (C2)"] MG["Main Gate Radios (Network)"] end

subgraph Effector ["Directed Energy Weapon"] PH["Phaser HPM System<br>(20-ft Trailer w/ Internal Diesel Generator)"] end

subgraph Targets ["Downed Threat UAS"] T1["Tempest (Tier 2 UAS)"] T2["Flanker (Tier 1 UAS)"] end

S1 --> CVT S2 --> CVT CVT <--> MG MG --> PH PH -->|"Speed-of-light HPM beam"| T1 PH -->|"Speed-of-light HPM beam"| T2 ```

The engagement network integrated multiple tactical radar systems to acquire and track the drone targets. Both a Sentinel radar and a close combat tactical radar tracked the incoming UAS, feeding data through a modernized command-and-control system designated Command View Tactical, with components networked via main gate radios. During this initial hardware investigation, operators kept the Phaser system's main beam oriented toward a fixed sector of the sky while two drone profiles—a Tempest Tier 2 UAS and a Flanker Tier 1 UAS—flew through the engagement zone. The directed-energy beam struck the targets at the speed of light, producing immediate, verifiable kills. Summarizing the strategic significance of the trials, the narrator affirms: “The US Army's fire Centers of Excellence team has clearly demonstrated it has the capability to lead the army and joint war fighters into the next generation of warfare.”

- **Effector Hardware:** Raytheon Phaser deployable high-power microwave (HPM) system - **System Housing:** 20-foot self-contained mobile trailer equipped with an internal diesel generator - **Target Tracking & C2 Sensors:** Sentinel radar, close combat tactical radar, Command View Tactical C2 system, and main gate tactical radios - **Drone Targets Neutralized:** Tempest (Tier 2 UAS) and Flanker (Tier 1 UAS) - **Engagement Mechanism:** Directed microwave energy delivered at the speed of light with instantaneous kill confirmation

## Notable quotes > [00:42](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hlmf032NmHU&t=42s) The US Army's fire Centers of Excellence team has clearly demonstrated it has the capability to lead the army and joint war fighters into the next generation of warfare. — Narrator

## Mentioned Raytheon, Phaser, U.S. Army Fires Center of Excellence, Fort Sill, U.S. Department of Defense, Flanker drone, Tempest drone, Sentinel radar, Close combat tactical radar, Command View Tactical, Main gate radios

## Video description A new video cleared by the Defense Department shows Raytheon’s “Phaser” high-power microwave (HPM) weapon in a demonstration at the U.S. Army Fires Center of Excellence at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. Raytheon used the swarm-destroying Phaser to bring down Flanker and Tempest drones during the live-fire demonstration conducted Sept. 30-Oct. 3, 2013. Three years later, the Defense Department has cleared the footage for public release. Raytheon says it has already reduced the size of the Phaser payload by half and is offering the system up for operational use. Credit: U.S. Army Fires Center of Excellence

[Source](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hlmf032NmHU)

中文简报

雷神“相位器”微波武器在美陆军测试中击落无人机目标锡尔堡实弹评估证明，车载高功率微波系统可与战场雷达组网，在战术射程内瞬间摧毁多种级别的无人机。该视频记录了美国陆军卓越火力中心进行的一项实装定向能演示，旨在将非动能防空系统与传统火力融为一体。雷神公司的“相位器”（Phaser）高功率微波系统搭载于配备车载柴油发电机的20英尺独立挂车内，通过接入“战术指挥视图”（Command View Tactical）网络的“哨兵”（Sentinel）雷达及近身战术雷达获取目标指示引导。当来袭的1级“侧卫”（Flanker）和2级“暴风雨”（Tempest）无人机进入该武器的交战走廊时，即遭光速微波能量打击并被当场击毁，杀伤效果清晰可辨。此次试验证实了在作战有效距离内部署定向能系统以消除无人机威胁的战术可行性。美国陆军卓越火力中心在锡尔堡开展了定向能实地评估，展示了在应对无人机系统威胁时非动能高功率微波与动能火力的协同作战能力。 (0:06) 雷神公司可部署的“相位器”高功率微波武器在实弹测试中成功击落了“暴风雨”（2级）和“侧卫”（1级）无人机。 (0:42) “相位器”演示样机作为一个独立的机动系统运行，安装在带有内置柴油发电机的20英尺挂车内。 (0:42) 自2013年进行演示以来，雷神公司已将“相位器”的有效载荷尺寸缩减了50%，并为该系统的实战部署做好了准备。

Reading summary

In autumn 2013 evaluations at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, the U.S. Army Fires Center of Excellence assessed Raytheon's Phaser high-power microwave system, demonstrating non-kinetic, speed-of-light defeats of incoming unmanned aerial systems. Fort Sill Directed-Energy Demonstration Objectives (0:06) Between late September and early October 2013 (with live engagements running September 30 through October 3), the U.S. Army Fires Center of Excellence (FCoE) hosted a directed-energy hardware trial at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. Rather than relying on abstract bench simulations, the exercise was structured around operational benchmarks to test whether non-kinetic capabilities could be integrated directly into traditional kinetic fires frameworks. The stated parameters were to deploy a mobile directed-energy weapon, engage multiple real target classes simultaneously, and neutralize threats at operationally relevant ranges. Phaser Architecture and Target Engagements (0:42) The core effector tested was Raytheon's Phaser, a high-power microwave (HPM) weapon housed entirely within a self-contained 20-foot trailer equipped with an onboard diesel power generator. The system provides flexible cueing through organic or third-party track feeds and features selectable output power, allowing operators to choose between disrupting drone electronics or causing irreversible functional and structural damage. During the exercise, surveillance tracking was supplied by a Sentinel radar and a close combat tactical radar, which fed data through the Command View Tactical command-and-control platform across main gate tactical radios. For the live fire engagements, operators positioned Phaser's primary microwave beam toward a fixed sector of the sky. Two separate drone types—a Flanker Tier 1 UAS and a Tempest Tier 2 UAS—flew through the engagement zone and were disabled instantaneously at the speed of light. Following the successful intercepts, program representatives claimed the trial demonstrated the FCoE's readiness to guide joint warfighters into next-generation directed-energy warfare. While the trial demonstrated that a containerized high-power microwave system can destroy Tier 1 and Tier 2 drones, the test configuration relied on a fixed-sector beam orientation as targets flew through the zone, leaving open questions about dynamic target tracking against evasive maneuvers in contested tactical environments.

精炼阅读摘要

2013年秋季，美国陆军野战炮兵卓越中心（FCoE）在俄克拉何马州锡尔堡完成了雷神公司Phaser高功率微波（HPM）武器系统的实装靶试。测试证实该车载定向能系统能以光速波束即时摧毁穿越交战区的无人机，验证了将非动能微波武器与传统动能火力协同整合的战术可行性。锡尔堡定向能试验的战术目标 (0:06) 针对无人机系统的作战威胁，美国陆军野战炮兵卓越中心于2013年9月下旬至10月上旬在俄克拉何马州锡尔堡主持了定向能硬件调查试验，其中实弹拦截在9月30日至10月3日间进行。该演训的核心目标在于将非动能定向能效应直接整合至传统的动能火力打击体系之中，探索新型防空手段的实战潜力。与实验室环境下的台架测试不同，本次评估建立了严格的实战化考核基准。试验要求使用可野战部署的实装系统对抗真实空中靶标，重点验证系统在战术和实战相关射程内处置多目标同时来袭的能力，并确保其对第1级（Tier 1）和第2级（Tier 2）等多种分类级别的无人机均具备有效且可验证的毁伤杀伤力。 Phaser系统架构与实弹打击链 (0:42) 参试的核心拦截装备为雷神公司的Phaser可部署高功率微波武器系统。该系统采用高度集成的自整备机动设计，整套装备封装在配备内置柴油发电机的单个20英尺拖车内。Phaser具备灵活的火控引导接口，可接收建制内传感器或第三方航迹数据，并为操作员提供可调节的功率输出模式，既能选择瘫痪敌方电子元件，也能释放不可逆的物理与功能损毁能量。在交战网络中，Sentinel雷达与近程作战战术雷达负责对空中目标进行探测与跟踪，数据经由主门战术电台网络输入现代化的Command View Tactical指挥控制系统，随后引导发射装置。测试期间，操作人员将Phaser的主微波束对准特定扇区，当Tempest（第2级）和Flanker（第1级）两型无人机飞入交战空域时，以光速传播的高功率微波即刻命中靶标并完成了实时击落。演习叙述者据此宣称，野战炮兵卓越中心展现了引领陆军和联合作战部队迈入下一代战争的能力。但从测试构型来看，本次试验中定向能波束采用固定空域扇区射向，靶机自行穿过交战区，该系统在动态追踪机动威胁及更大战术纵深下的综合防护效能仍有待后续演训进一步检验。

Source quotes

[0:42] Narrator: The US Army's fire Centers of Excellence team has clearly demonstrated it has the capability to lead the army and joint war fighters into the next generation of warfare.

Original transcript

[0:06] the US Army fire centers of excellence [0:09] now has the capability to integrate [0:11] non-kinetic alongside kinetic effects [0:13] the FCoE hosted a directed-energy [0:16] Hardware investigation against two [0:18] different types of unmanned aerial [0:20] systems in September and October of 2013 [0:24] at Fort Sill Oklahoma the objectives of [0:29] this investigation were to engage real [0:31] targets with a deployable [0:32] directed-energy system attack more than [0:35] one type of threat engage multiple [0:37] threats simultaneously and kill these [0:39] threats at operationally relevant ranges [0:42] integral to the investigation was phaser [0:45] a deployable high-power microwave or hpm [0:48] system fully capable of organic or [0:50] third-party target cueing operators can [0:53] choose system parameters to either [0:55] disrupt or damage the target the phaser [0:57] system employed was mounted in a 20-foot [0:59] self-contained trailer that included an [1:02] internal diesel generator two different [1:06] types of unmanned aerial systems were [1:08] flown into the phaser systems main beam [1:10] both a Sentinel radar and a close combat [1:12] tactical radar were used to detect and [1:15] track both UAS threats and were linked [1:17] through a command view tactical a [1:19] modernized command and control system [1:21] and networked together by main gate [1:23] radios for this initial directed-energy [1:25] investigation operators kept the phaser [1:28] system focused on one particular spot in [1:30] the sky from 30 September through 3 [1:34] October the phaser system engaged and [1:36] shot down two different types of UAS [1:38] targets a tempest tier two UAS and a [1:42] flanker Tier one UAS both engagements [1:46] took place at the speed of light and [1:47] target kill confirmation was immediate [1:51] the US Army's fire Centers of Excellence [1:53] team has clearly demonstrated it has the [1:56] capability to lead the army and joint [1:58] war fighters into the next generation of [2:01] warfare