Raytheon has signed contracts with the Air Force and the Navy for the Directed Energy Front-Line Electromagnetic Neutralization and Defeat program, or DEFEND, worth $31.3 million over three years. Work is already underway in Tucson, Arizona, in collaboration with the rebranded RTX. Raytheon plans to deliver prototypes for the program in fiscal years 2024 and 2026.
High-power microwave antenna systems are being developed to overwhelm the internal circuitry of weapons used by airborne threats. These systems are cost-effective, reliable solutions operating at the speed of light. Raytheon previously worked on the Counter-Electronic High Power Microwave Extended Range Air Base Defense, known as CHIMERA, for the Air Force. Additionally, overseas, Raytheon UK announced plans to install a high-energy laser onto a Wolfhound armored vehicle.
The Pentagon is investing an average of $1 billion annually to develop directed-energy weapons, focusing on deploying them aboard aircraft, warships, and ground vehicles to target drones and missiles. RTX, the second largest contractor in the world ranked by defense revenue according to Defense News Top 100, earned $39.6 billion in 2022.
Colin Demarest is a reporter at C4ISRNET, covering military networks, cyber, and IT.
