Media Centre

Drone Swarms and Hypersonics have become particularly difficult challenges to counter in the military domain. One area which has shown promise in countering these threats is Directed Energy. Several nations world-wide have started investing in Directed Energy making it one of the fastest growing markets in the Full Spectrum Air Defence Domain. With relatively high accuracy and the promise of a “low cost per shot” has made the technology very appealing to forces world-wide. On top of this, DE technology has gone through some democratisation, transforming what was a technology reserved for super-powers to a technology major powers currently have a stake in. This report covers the markets of: France India Israel Japan Turkey UAE UK US

Since 2019, there has been significant interest in Directed Energy Weapons globally, especially as most nations explore cost-effective ways to deal with the drone swarm threat and hypersonic weapons. As DEW technology proliferated and democratized, more systems are being developed and entering the market from different nations. What was once a technology reserved for superpowers is now on its way to becoming conventional for modern militaries.

In this Interview, Corry Cox, Director of Research and Technology at the US Army SMDC Tech Center delves into the state of play of laser programmes in the army. An essential read for Directed Energy professionals. 

Projected to grow 21.5% CAGR by 2028, the multi-billion-dollar market for directed energy systems is larger than ever. Using electromagnetism in the place of projectiles, directed energy represents a paradigm shift in military capability - and it's here to stay. Learn more about the past, present, and future of this next-generation technology here.

The Joint Forum is co-located with three events: Directed Energy Systems, Full Spectrum Air Defence, and Military Radar and is Europe’s only international joint forum to cover all elements of air defence. This Attendee List showcases high-level attendees and industry experts that will be in attendance across the forum.

The Directed Energy Systems Conference is the Leading International Forum For The DES Community.

The “High Energy Laser Equipment System R&D Activities in Japan” presentation was delivered by Fumio WANI, Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd in 2019 and will be a returning speaker at the Directed Energy Systems 2023 Conference.

A few topics this presentation explores are:

• High Energy COIL Beam Propagation Test
• Overview of Chemical Laser in Major Research Program
• Configuration of High Energy Laser Unit
• Laser Power vs. Magnification
• HEL Proto-type System Sequence
• Tracking Performance Test
• Comparison of Measured & Predicted Beam Profiles
• Trends of SM Fiber Laser Output Power
• Laser Output Spectrum of 2-3 kW Fiber Lasers

“The Status of High-Energy Laser Intercept Technology in South Korea” presentation was delivered by Dr. Youngchul Kim, Agency for Defence Development, Republic of Korea n the 2019 Directed Energy System Conference.

This presentation covers:

• The Status of Laser Technology
• The Experiments of the Laser for Counter UAS
• High Energy Laser Laboratory
• Gap Between Military and R&D
• How to Neutralize the Emerging Threats to ROK
• High Energy Laser S&T
• Laser R&D Priority to Operational Capabilities
• The future of laser for national defense
  

In the run-up to Directed Energy Systems 2018, we had the opportunity to discuss with Colonel Michael E. Thompson, Chief, Advanced Weapons Systems (A5/8ZW), HQ Air Combat Command USAF and speaker at the event. He provides here an exclusive preview of this brief at the conference and share insights on what Directed Energy Systems mean for the USAF and how they are using them, the challenges they are encountering and what is the reality of implementing the technology onto a F-35.

In this exclusive interview with Colonel Sean Wilson, Officer in Charge, Cyber Electromagnetic Activities of U.S. Army Europe and speaker at the conference, learn more about what limitations have been found during the Mobile Expeditionary High Energy Laser (MEHEL) test, what type of threats the technology should be able to counter in the future and what challenges militaries face when it comes to making directed energy operational onto platforms.

A Digital Platform to Engage with the Defence Community

Defence iQ’s digital platform and publications provide traditional and non-traditional defence companies, SMEs and start-ups with an invaluable touchpoint from which to connect with and educate a global network of military end users and government about their strategic vision, new products, and latest technological developments.

It is imperative for industry to have a variety of routes by which to engage with existing and potential defence customers. In this current climate, effective digital marketing strategies will be crucial in ensuring that industry can continue to demonstrate thought leadership, market new products, and maintain strong global brand awareness.

Defence iQ has invested a digital platform that allows industry stakeholders to deliver their message, 24/7, 365 days a year. We are ready and equipped to drive value for our industry partners and the wider Defence community through our bespoke digital offerings.