Overview of typical high-power microwave weapons

Introduction:High-Power Microwave Weapons (HPM), as new disruptive equipment capable of changing the nature of warfare, feature fast attack speed, flexible turning, and low operational costs, and are highly sought after by major military powers. The United States, Russia, France, the United Kingdom, and Germany all attach great importance to the research and application of high-power microwave technology. Overall, the United States has the highest level of research in this field, so understanding and mastering the development trends of American high-power microwave weapons is beneficial for China's research and development in this field.

High-power microwaves refer to strong electromagnetic radiation with frequencies of 100MHz-300MHz and peak power above 100MW. High-power microwave weapons use directional radiation to damage high-power microwave beams that damage, degrade, disrupt, and interfere with enemy electronic systems, achieving combat effectiveness. High-power microwave weapons feature light-speed propagation, all-weather operation, low aiming accuracy requirements, low launch cost, the ability to kill multiple targets simultaneously, leaving little trace, and are suitable for use both in war and peacetime.

Diagram of high-power microwave weapons jamming enemy electronic systems

High-power microwave weapons can be classified by launch platform into four types: land-based, sea-based, air-based, and space-based. Land-based high-power microwave weapons are divided into land-based fixed and land-based mobile types; Sea-based high-power microwave weapons launch platforms include surface ships, submarines, and carrier-based aircraft; The main launch platforms for airborne high-power microwave weapons include missiles, drones, electronic warfare aircraft, and airships; Launch platforms for space-based high-power microwave weapons are mainly nearby spacecraft, satellites, space shuttles, and space stations.

High-power microwave weapon schematic

The U.S. is at the forefront in developing high-power microwave weapons. Currently, typical land-based high-power microwave weapons include active denial systems (ADS), Eagle alert systems, high-power microwave anti-explosive devices, and Phaser counter-drone systems; typical sea-based high-power microwave weapons mainly convert shipborne radar antennas into transmission systems to kill electronic equipment; typical airborne high-power microwave weapons include the Advanced Microwave Missile Project (CHAMP), HiJENKS (High-Power Combined Electromagnetic Non-Powered Strike Project), High-Power Microwave Bombs, and High-Power Electromagnetic Research Project (HPEM), among others; Space-based high-power microwave weapons remain part of the U.S. long-term plans, but there is currently no disclosed information on finished products.

Test diagram of the High Power Microwave Advanced Missile Project (CHAMP) for anti-electronic equipment

Active Denial Systems (ADS) are a breakthrough non-lethal technology that uses millimeter-wave electromagnetic energy over long distances to stop, delay, and repel advancing enemies. ADS is mainly used to control crowds, with the advantage of silent and non-lethal attacks on people. The basic components of an Active Denial weapon system consist of three components—a power supply, a microwave electromagnetic radiation emitter (rotary tube), and an antenna that directs the energy beam at the target. Active Denial technology weapons use dish-type parabolic antennas to emit narrow beam electromagnetic energy. The effective range of the system mainly depends on the size and type of parabolic antenna. The larger the parabolic antenna, the narrower its beam, and the increased signal gain accordingly. However, due to its massive size, high energy consumption, technical complexity, and poor performance in rainy, foggy, or snowy weather, the system was never actually deployed.

Diagram of the active denial system

The Vigilant Eagle Tactical Microwave System is based on active phased array radar technology, projecting concentrated high-power microwaves onto missiles to interfere with their electronic guidance devices, thereby protecting airports and flights from attacks by portable air defense missiles. The system operates in the X-band frequency range of 2~12GHz, with engagement times of 1~2 seconds. Related technologies involve vulnerability assessment of enemy electronic systems, high-power application systems, advanced signal generation devices, antennas, antenna control, frequency processing, and telemetry deployment.

Diagram of the Alert Eagle tactical microwave system

High-power microwave counter-explosive devices can emit high-power microwaves at specific frequencies, capable of detonating improvised explosive devices at sufficiently long distances to ensure the safety of military personnel. The device is transported by a standard American military truck, equipped with protective armor, with a mine rolling mill installed at the front of the truck. The entire device's power system, high-power microwave generation system, and related control systems are integrated into the brown container carried by the truck. Its transmitting antenna uses a planar array antenna mounted on top of the truck cab.

High-power microwave anti-explosive devices

The Phaser anti-drone system is diesel-powered and mounted on containers. The onboard radar can detect targets and send information back to the Phaser system, which then continuously tracks the target's location and emits high-energy microwaves toward the threat, burning the electronic components inside the target. In anti-drone tests, the system mainly consists of three parts: the AN/MPQ-64 "Sentinel" ground-to-air surveillance radar, the short-range tactical radar, and the high-power microwave ground station. The three are arranged in a triangular shape, facing the direction where the drone might appear. The high-power microwave ground station is at the front, allowing the ground-to-air surveillance radar and short-range tactical radar to leverage their long detection range and wide scanning range.

In terms of sea-based high-power microwave weapons, the U.S. Navy has conducted multiple tests of microwave weapon systems on Ticonderoga-class missile cruisers. Shipborne radar antennas can emit very high microwave energy and, after modification, can be used as launch systems for sea-based HPM weapons to destroy electronic equipment. The U.S. military hopes that sea-based shipborne HPM weapons can be used to build fleet anti-missile or anti-ground attack systems, and even construct electromagnetic shields for sea-based weapon platforms. The high-power microwave weapons carried are divided into three tiers: long-range, medium, and near-range, and appropriate microwave weapons are selected for confrontation or strike based on the distance and threat level of the incoming target.

In the future, it is expected that sea-based HPM weapons will be installed on warships

The Advanced High Power Microwave Missile Project (CHAMP) for anti-electronic equipment is a space-based high-power microwave test system capable of radiating multiple pulses, attacking multiple targets, and damaging or disrupting electronic systems. Its high-power microwave payload can be integrated into cruise missile platforms or drone platforms. For the first time, the CHAMP program has successfully achieved a perfect integration of HPM technology and aircraft technology, especially by solving key technologies such as miniaturization of pulse power devices, HPM antenna design, compact HPM sources, and missile self-protection, with significant application prospects. From the current domestic development situation in the United States, CHAMP is the high-power microwave weapon system most likely to achieve initial deployment in the near future, posing threats to aircraft carrier battle groups, satellite ground receiving systems, large early warning radars, and more.

The High Power Joint Electromagnetic Non-Powered Strike Project (HiJENKS) is led by the Directed Energy Division of the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory, aiming to explore more practical CHAMP weapons based on advanced cruise missile technology. The project will be used to disrupt land-based C4I facilities; disrupt shipborne C4I systems; and enhance electronic warfare (EW) and cyber warfare capabilities. The HiJENKS project also aims to address many challenges, such as researching HPRF coupling mechanisms and improving frequency adjustability.

High-Power Joint Electromagnetic Non-Powered Strike Project (HiJENKS)

When attacking ground targets, high-power microwave bombs can achieve full-spectrum jamming coverage and destructive strikes against land targets; In naval operations, they can destroy large amounts of electronic equipment on ships, greatly reducing combat effectiveness; In air combat, they can achieve beyond-visual-range jamming and attacks on aerial targets, with typical products such as the Mk84 high-power microwave bomb. The MK84 microwave bomb is a precision-guided bomb, weighing about 2,000 pounds, equipped with wing components, and can be converted into a glide bomb.

MK84 microwave bomb and its range of effect

The High Power Electromagnetic Research Project (HPEM) aims to find methods for applying HPEM technology in military networks and electronic warfare by conducting experiments, demonstrating concepts, and recording results; By studying potential application scenarios of HPEM technology in networks and electronic warfare, it aims to better utilize existing and emerging HPEM RF sources and software technologies to promote future development in networks and electronic warfare. Currently, the project has developed creative concepts utilizing single-pulse HPEM technology, multi-pulse HPEM technology, and specialized waveform technology. The latest goals of the project involve the effects triggered by backdoor coupling phenomena and the unique concept of exposing test assets to high energy density environments.

High-power electromagnetic concept diagram

Space-based microwave weapons consist of energy systems, high-power microwave generators, large transmitting antennas, and other supporting devices. The strong microwaves generated by microwave generators are concentrated in a narrow beam through the antenna as very narrow pulses, projecting very high microwave energy directly onto space targets, aiming to destroy enemy electronic system sensors and receivers, burn electronic components, disrupt digital circuits, and even directly destroy enemy equipment. The following video shows the transmission of high-power microwave energy from solar energy to the ground.

Currently, no information has been disclosed about U.S. space-based microwave weapons, but detailed information about their development and planning is published in the "U.S. Air Force 2025 Strategic Plan." The plan states: In the future, U.S. space-based microwave weapons will adopt a low-orbit multi-satellite network deployment method, deployed at orbital altitudes of 500~916 km; attack frequencies will be 1~100 GHz, with peak power of 100 MW~100 GW. In recent years, there has been little public reporting on U.S. space-based microwave weapons, but integrated detection, jamming, and attack of space-based microwave systems is an important trend.

Summary:High-power microwave weapons are very likely to become disruptive equipment that can change the battlefield situation in the future. From the above introduction, it is clear that the United States has already taken a major step in this field, and countries like Russia have also developed practical products with similar principles and excellent performance. China has also achieved good research results in this field, but it still needs to closely monitor developments in major competing countries, refer to research directions validated abroad, and accelerate the development of China's high-power microwave weapons.

Main References:

1. Current Research Status and Development Trends of High-Power Microwave Technology Abroad_Qian Baoliang

2. Research on the Development of High-Power Microwave Weapons Abroad_Zhao Hongyan

3. Overview of Foreign High-Power Microwave Weapon Technology Development _ Wu Xiaolong

4. Development Ideas and Key Points of High-Power Microwave Weapons in the United States_Wu Xiaolong

5. Application Analysis of High-Power Microwave Weapons_Xu Zhiyong

6.Naval Air Warfare and Weapons

7.Air Force Science and Technology Program

8.Simulated E-bomb effects on electronically equipped targets