At the Association of Old Crows annual conference, David Stoudt, Executive Director of the Directed Energy Professional Society, stated that the long-standing goal of bringing directed energy technologies “from the lab to the warfighter” is now becoming achievable.
Driven by the widespread use of low-cost drones and swarm attacks, major powers—including the United States, Israel, China, and Russia—are actively advancing counter-drone systems based on high-power microwave (HPM) and high-energy laser (HEL) technologies.
HPM systems demonstrate strong effectiveness against drone swarms by disabling onboard electronics across a wide area, while laser systems enable precise engagement of individual targets. Together, these technologies are increasingly viewed as practical solutions to the limitations of traditional kinetic and electronic warfare approaches.
The shift highlighted in this report confirms a broader industry trend:
counter-drone systems are moving toward multi-layered, integrated architectures.
Directed energy technologies will not replace existing solutions, but they are becoming a critical layer:
At the same time, the increasing complexity of drone threats—including decoys and autonomous behaviors—makes AI-driven detection, identification, and decision-making essential for real-world deployment.
From a system integration perspective, the key challenge is no longer a single technology, but how to combine sensing, communication, and effectors into a coherent operational capability.
This development marks a clear transition:
directed energy is evolving from experimental technology into a deployable component of modern counter-drone systems.
For solution providers, the focus is shifting from technology validation to system-level integration and operational readiness.