In the 2020s, as drone warfare surged, microwave weapons moved from experimental technology to a central component of modern air defense.
By Hezy Laing
Microwave weapons, known in the defense world as high‑power microwave systems, are designed to disable electronics rather than harm people.
They emit concentrated bursts of electromagnetic energy that overwhelm circuits, sensors, and communication links.
As modern warfare becomes increasingly dependent on drones, missiles, and digital systems, these weapons have shifted from theoretical research to operational necessity.
Their most important role today is counter‑drone defense.
A focused microwave pulse can burn out a drone’s electronics, sever its communication link, or disrupt its GPS guidance.
Unlike conventional interceptors that destroy one target at a time, microwave systems can neutralize multiple drones simultaneously, making them especially valuable against coordinated swarms.
They are also used to interfere with missile guidance systems.
A well‑timed burst can blind radar seekers, confuse onboard computers, or disrupt navigation modules.
The missile remains intact but becomes effectively useless, unable to track or strike its target.
Israel’s rise as a global leader in microwave‑weapon development stems from decades of necessity and innovation.
Facing persistent rocket fire, drone incursions, and rapidly evolving regional threats, Israel invested early in directed‑energy research.
By the early 2000s, Israeli defense firms were already experimenting with compact, mobile microwave systems.
Over the next decade, these technologies were integrated into Israel’s layered air‑defense architecture, complementing systems like Iron Dome and laser‑based interceptors.
Today, Israel is considered one of the most advanced countries in the world in operational microwave‑weapon deployment.
Several Israeli companies have become central players in this field.
Israel Aerospace Industries developed the Scorpius‑G, a high‑power electromagnetic defense platform designed to disrupt enemy sensors and drone electronics.
Rafael Advanced Defense Systems created the Drone Dome HPM variant, which uses microwave bursts to neutralize hostile drones at close and medium ranges.
Elbit Systems introduced the ReDrone HPM module, an enhancement to its counter‑UAS suite capable of disabling multiple drones simultaneously through directed microwave energy.
The global timeline of microwave‑weapon development began in the 1980s, when the United States explored the concept for missile defense.
By the 1990s, prototypes existed but were too large for practical use.
Miniaturization in the 2000s made field deployment possible, and by the 2010s, several nations—including Israel, the U.S., and China—were testing operational systems.
In the 2020s, as drone warfare surged, microwave weapons moved from experimental technology to a central component of modern air defense.
