As part of UNIDIR’s Science and Technology Watchtower project, this briefing aimed to unpack the most recent surge in interest in directed energy weapons by exploring what they are, how they can be deployed and to what extent they offer a viable solution for countering uncrewed aerial systems, more commonly known as drones.
Directed energy weapons have existed for nearly six decades. Despite periodically experiencing surges in interest, persistent technological and operational shortcomings have historically prevented their widespread deployment on the battlefield. At present, these weapons, especially high-energy lasers and high-power microwaves, are once again receiving heightened attention and investment.
This renewed interest stems from their potential as a countermeasure to the unprecedented proliferation of uncrewed aerial systems (UAS) across global conflicts. As the cost imbalance between UAS and the traditional missile systems used to intercept them came into the spotlight, directed energy weapons have re-emerged as a potential defence solution offering a lower cost per shot compared to conventional alternatives. Speakers critically assessed the state of play of these weapons and the potential gaps between their promise and practical reality in the context of counter-UAS defence.
Event recording
Speakers
- Dr Edl Schamiloglu, Distinguished Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering and Director of Directed Energy Center, University of New Mexico.
- Dr Richard Hoad, Chief Engineer and Capability Area Leader for Directed Energy Systems, QinetiQ Ltd.
- David Hambling, Freelance Science and Technology Writer
Moderated by Umman Alizada, Graduate Professional, Security and Technology Programme, UNIDIR.
When and where
Wednesday, 24 June 2026 | 16:00 – 17:30 CEST | Online.
Further information
For questions, please contact sectec-unidir@un.org.
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