Within Microwaves
What Else Can Microwave Weapons Disrupt?
The same area effect that helps against swarms can endanger friendly radios, vehicles, sensors, and nearby civilian electronics.
On this page
- Why susceptible electronics may be affected
- Friendly force and civilian exposure concerns
- Operational controls and safe use boundaries
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Introduction
High-power microwave (HPM) defences are attractive against drone swarms because a single burst of electromagnetic energy can affect multiple drones at once. The same characteristic, however, creates one of the technology’s most important governance and operational challenges: electronics other than the intended drones may also be exposed. Unlike a missile that strikes a specific object, an HPM system projects radio-frequency energy into a volume of space, creating the possibility of disruption to nearby radios, sensors, vehicles, communications equipment, and civilian electronics if the system is used without adequate controls. Military organisations therefore treat collateral electronic effects as a core design and deployment issue rather than a secondary concern. [onr.navy.mil]onr.navy.milDirected Energy Weapons: High Power MicrowavesMarch 19, 2022 — HPM weapons create beams of electromagnetic energy over a broad spectrum of radio and microwave frequencies causing dama…
The risk is not simply theoretical. The same electromagnetic coupling mechanisms that can force a drone to reboot, malfunction, or suffer component damage can also affect other susceptible electronic systems. As counter-drone microwave weapons move closer to operational deployment, managing unintended effects has become as important as defeating the drones themselves. [Journal of Electromagnetic Dominance+2Inzpire]jedonline.comhigh power microwave systems getting much much closer to operational statusJournal of Electromagnetic DominanceHigh-Power Microwave Systems – Getting (Much…24 Jan 2023 — HPM weapons can generate a range of eff…
Why Susceptible Electronics May Be Affected
High-power microwave weapons work by injecting electromagnetic energy into electronic systems. Rather than relying on physical impact, they seek to couple energy into antennas, wiring, circuit traces, sensors, and semiconductor components. The intended result is disruption or damage to drone electronics, but the underlying physics does not inherently distinguish between hostile and friendly equipment. [onr.navy.mil]onr.navy.milDirected Energy Weapons: High Power MicrowavesMarch 19, 2022 — HPM weapons create beams of electromagnetic energy over a broad spectrum of radio and microwave frequencies causing dama…
Modern electronics are often interconnected through conductive pathways that can act as unintended receivers. Wires, antennas, cables, and exposed electronic interfaces may absorb electromagnetic energy and conduct it into sensitive components. This is one reason military electromagnetic-effects standards place heavy emphasis on shielding, grounding, filtering, and electromagnetic compatibility. The increasing density and complexity of modern electronics makes these concerns more significant rather than less. [waru.edu]waru.eduMIL STD 464DMIL-STD-464D1 Dec 2010 — High power microwave (HPM)…. criticality of electronics demand that effective electromagnetic effects control…
The actual effect depends on many variables:
- Distance from the microwave source.
- Frequency and pulse characteristics.
- Antenna directionality and beam shaping.
- Shielding quality of the exposed equipment.
- Orientation of wiring and antennas.
- Electronic design margins and surge protection.
As a result, collateral effects exist on a spectrum. Equipment may experience temporary interference, corrupted data, degraded performance, forced resets, or, in more severe cases, permanent component damage. Not every exposed device will fail, but uncertainty itself becomes an operational concern. Journal of Electromagnetic Dominance+2publications.sto.nato.int [jedonline.com]jedonline.comhigh power microwave systems getting much much closer to operational statusJournal of Electromagnetic DominanceHigh-Power Microwave Systems – Getting (Much…24 Jan 2023 — HPM weapons can generate a range of eff…
Why the Swarm Advantage Creates a Collateral-Risk Trade-Off
The principal advantage of microwave counter-swarm systems is their ability to engage many targets simultaneously. Wider-area electromagnetic effects allow a defender to avoid the one-target-at-a-time limitation that affects many kinetic systems and lasers. However, that same area effect means the engagement volume can include electronics other than the drones. [GAO]gao.govgao 23 106717Science & Tech Spotlight: Directed Energy Weapons25 May 2023 — These weapons include high energy lasers and other high power electroma…
This creates a fundamental trade-off. A highly focused beam may reduce unintended effects but also narrow the defended area. A broader beam may improve swarm-defeat performance while increasing the number of electronic systems potentially exposed. Defence planners therefore face a balancing problem: achieving sufficient electromagnetic coverage to defeat multiple drones without creating unacceptable risk to surrounding infrastructure and equipment. [D-Fend Solutions]d-fendsolutions.comKey challenge when mitigation drones with EMP/HPM: Significant collateral damage to electronics in.Read more…
The challenge becomes especially acute around installations that are themselves dense with electronics, such as airbases, ports, command centres, communications hubs, radar sites, and critical infrastructure facilities. These locations are often the very places most likely to require protection from drone attacks. [waru.edu]waru.eduMIL STD 464DMIL-STD-464D1 Dec 2010 — High power microwave (HPM)…. criticality of electronics demand that effective electromagnetic effects control…
Friendly-Force Exposure Concerns
Military forces increasingly depend on networked electronics. Tactical radios, satellite communications terminals, radar systems, electronic warfare equipment, navigation systems, vehicle electronics, and battlefield sensors all operate within the electromagnetic environment.
An HPM engagement conducted too close to friendly systems could potentially create several operational problems:
- Temporary disruption of communications.
- Degradation of surveillance or sensor performance.
- Unexpected resets or faults in electronic equipment.
- Increased electromagnetic interference within command networks.
- Damage to inadequately protected legacy systems.
These risks are one reason military organisations invest heavily in electromagnetic hardening and electromagnetic compatibility testing. Standards governing military platforms explicitly recognise the need to control electromagnetic effects across entire force structures rather than evaluating individual systems in isolation. [waru.edu]waru.eduMIL STD 464DMIL-STD-464D1 Dec 2010 — High power microwave (HPM)…. criticality of electronics demand that effective electromagnetic effects control…
The concern extends beyond fixed installations. Mobile formations may include vehicles from different generations, commercial off-the-shelf electronics, contractor-operated systems, and allied equipment with varying levels of protection. A microwave weapon effective against a drone swarm may therefore interact differently with each nearby system. [publications.sto.nato.int]publications.sto.nato.intmore…
Civilian Infrastructure and Public Exposure Concerns
Civilian environments present an even more complicated governance challenge. Urban areas contain vast numbers of interconnected electronic devices, including telecommunications equipment, industrial control systems, transportation infrastructure, medical technology, consumer electronics, and commercial networks.
Researchers and analysts studying electromagnetic weapons have long noted that modern societies rely on highly interconnected electronic systems that can be vulnerable to electromagnetic disturbance. The more digitally dependent an environment becomes, the more potential pathways exist for unintended consequences. [INSS]inss.org.ilINSSElectromagnetic Bombs11 Sept 2025 — Electromagnetic weapons can disable command-and-control centers, including those located underground, by shutting down…
Potentially affected systems could include:
- Mobile communications infrastructure.
- Data networks and servers.
- Industrial automation equipment.
- Airport and transport electronics.
- Commercial security systems.
- Certain medical electronic devices.
The exact level of risk depends heavily on distance, shielding, system design, and exposure conditions. Nevertheless, the possibility of collateral disruption is one reason many analysts view microwave counter-drone systems as easier to employ in controlled military environments than in densely populated civilian settings. [D-Fend Solutions]d-fendsolutions.comKey challenge when mitigation drones with EMP/HPM: Significant collateral damage to electronics in.Read more…
Operational Controls and Safe-Use Boundaries
Because collateral electronic effects are foreseeable, modern HPM programmes increasingly emphasise control mechanisms rather than relying solely on raw power.
Several approaches are commonly discussed:
Directional antennas and beam shaping. Modern systems seek to concentrate energy into defined sectors rather than radiating broadly in all directions. Developers frequently emphasise directional phased-array architectures as a way to reduce unwanted exposure outside the target area. [Epirus]epirusinc.comepirus leonidas demonstrates successful use of high power microwave to defeat fiber optic controlled uasEpirusEpirus' Leonidas Demonstrates Successful Use of High- …13 Jan 2026 — The Leonidas HPM platform defeats fiber-optic guided drones…
Exclusion zones. Operators may establish areas where personnel, vehicles, communications equipment, or critical electronics must not be present during engagements. Electromagnetic safety planning already exists for many military transmitters and becomes even more important for high-power systems. [GOV.UK]assets.publishing.service.gov.ukUKJS P 482 Chapter 24 Hazards o electromagnetic radiation482 Chapter 24 Hazards o electromagnetic radiation…April 3, 2017 — Note for (b): 170 metres is the minimum safe distance for a BOWMAN…
Target-area management. Counter-drone engagements are often planned so that the projected electromagnetic effect remains within a controlled airspace volume. This is easier over military training ranges, remote facilities, or maritime environments than in crowded urban areas. [The Defence Blog]defence-blog.comepirus confirms leonidas microwave system integration with dft platformThe Defence BlogEpirus confirms Leonidas microwave system integration…25 Feb 2026 — The system emits controlled bursts of high-power m…
Hardening friendly equipment. Shielding, filtering, surge protection, and electromagnetic compatibility engineering can reduce vulnerability among friendly systems. Military standards place strong emphasis on these protective measures precisely because powerful electromagnetic environments are expected during operations. [waru.edu]waru.eduMIL STD 464DMIL-STD-464D1 Dec 2010 — High power microwave (HPM)…. criticality of electronics demand that effective electromagnetic effects control…
Rules of engagement and governance oversight. Operational commanders may need authorisation procedures that account not only for the drone threat but also for the surrounding electronic environment. The decision to employ a microwave weapon may depend on what electronic infrastructure lies within the projected effect area. [ResearchGate]researchgate.netResearchGate(PDF) High-Power Microwave Energy as Weaponcollateral damage [31]. 4.11 The Proliferation of Electromagnetic Bombs. At… Co…
The Central Governance Question
The appeal of microwave drone defences comes from their ability to create one-to-many effects against large groups of unmanned aircraft. Yet the same mechanism that enables that efficiency also creates uncertainty about what else may be affected.
As a result, the central governance question is not whether microwave weapons can disrupt electronics—they are designed to do exactly that. The question is how precisely those effects can be confined to hostile drones while avoiding unacceptable consequences for friendly forces, civilian infrastructure, and nearby electronic systems. The future practicality of high-power microwave counter-swarm defence will depend as much on electromagnetic discipline, system hardening, and operational controls as on the weapon’s ability to bring drones down. [onr.navy.mil+2GAO]onr.navy.milDirected Energy Weapons: High Power MicrowavesMarch 19, 2022 — HPM weapons create beams of electromagnetic energy over a broad spectrum of radio and microwave frequencies causing dama…
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Further Reading
Books and field guides related to What Else Can Microwave Weapons Disrupt?. Use these as the next step if you want deeper reading beyond the article.
High Power Microwaves, Second Edition (Series on Plasma Physics)
Directly covers high-power microwave effects, coupling mechanisms, and impacts on electronic systems that underpin collateral disruption...
Introduction to electromagnetic compatibility
First published 1992. Subjects: Electronic circuits, Digital electronics, Noise, Shielding (Electricity), Electromagnetic compatibility.
Electromagnetic compatibility engineering
First published 2009. Subjects: Electronic circuits, Noise, Electromagnetic compatibility.
High-power electromagnetic radiators
First published 2004. Subjects: Electromagnetic devices, Nonlethal weapons, Electromagnetic waves, Electromagnetism, Physiological effect.
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Endnotes
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Source: onr.navy.mil
Title: Directed Energy Weapons: High Power Microwaves
Link: https://www.onr.navy.mil/organization/departments/code-35/division-353/directed-energy-weapons-high-power-microwavesSource snippet
March 19, 2022 — HPM weapons create beams of electromagnetic energy over a broad spectrum of radio and microwave frequencies causing dama...
Published: March 19, 2022
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Source: gao.gov
Title: gao 23 106717
Link: https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-23-106717Source snippet
Science & Tech Spotlight: Directed Energy Weapons25 May 2023 — These weapons include high energy lasers and other high power electroma...
Published: May 2023
-
Source: inzpire.com
Title: high power microwaves more than just a hot lunch
Link: https://www.inzpire.com/news/high-power-microwaves-more-than-just-a-hot-lunchSource snippet
High power microwaves – more than just a hot lunch!3 Mar 2025 — The use of electromagnetic waves allows for precise targeting of electron...
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Source: waru.edu
Title: MIL STD 464D
Link: https://www.waru.edu/sites/default/files/Migrated/CopDocuments/MIL-STD-464D.pdfSource snippet
MIL-STD-464D1 Dec 2010 — High power microwave (HPM).... criticality of electronics demand that effective electromagnetic effects control...
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Source: publications.sto.nato.int
Link: https://publications.sto.nato.int/publications/STO%20Meeting%20Proceedings/STO-MP-SET-315/MP-SET-315-24.pdfSource snippet
more...
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Source: researchgate.net
Link: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/334070738_High-Power_Microwave_Energy_as_WeaponSource snippet
ResearchGate(PDF) High-Power Microwave Energy as Weaponcollateral damage [31]. 4.11 The Proliferation of Electromagnetic Bombs. At... Co...
-
Source: inss.org.il
Title: INSSElectromagnetic Bombs
Link: https://www.inss.org.il/publication/electromagnetic/Source snippet
11 Sept 2025 — Electromagnetic weapons can disable command-and-control centers, including those located underground, by shutting down...
-
Source: defence-blog.com
Title: epirus confirms leonidas microwave system integration with dft platform
Link: https://defence-blog.com/epirus-confirms-leonidas-microwave-system-integration-with-dft-platform/Source snippet
The Defence BlogEpirus confirms Leonidas microwave system integration...25 Feb 2026 — The system emits controlled bursts of high-power m...
-
Source: assets.publishing.service.gov.uk
Title: UKJS P 482 Chapter 24 Hazards o electromagnetic radiation
Link: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5a82dfffe5274a2e8ab59cae/20150723-JSP_482_Chapter_24-O.pdfSource snippet
482 Chapter 24 Hazards o electromagnetic radiation...April 3, 2017 — Note for (b): 170 metres is the minimum safe distance for a BOWMAN...
Published: April 3, 2017
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Source: researchgate.net
Title: 350941439 High power microwave for knocking out programmable suicide drones
Link: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/350941439_High_power_microwave_for_knocking_out_programmable_suicide_dronesSource snippet
(PDF) High power microwave for knocking out...16 Apr 2021 — This article aims to examine the directed energy of HPM (high power microwav...
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Source: youtube.com
Title: Epirus Leonidas: High-Power Microwave for Counter-Electronics
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLA826fH4VcSource snippet
Tech 101: High Powered Microwaves...
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Source: jedonline.com
Title: high power microwave systems getting much much closer to operational status
Link: https://www.jedonline.com/2023/01/24/high-power-microwave-systems-getting-much-much-closer-to-operational-status/Source snippet
Journal of Electromagnetic DominanceHigh-Power Microwave Systems – Getting (Much...24 Jan 2023 — HPM weapons can generate a range of eff...
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Source: d-fendsolutions.com
Link: https://d-fendsolutions.com/cuas-mitigation/Source snippet
Key challenge when mitigation drones with EMP/HPM: Significant collateral damage to electronics in.Read more...
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Source: epirusinc.com
Link: https://www.epirusinc.com/press-releases/epirus-leonidas-demonstrates-successful-use-of-high-power-microwave-to-defeat-[fiber-opticSource snippet
EpirusEpirus' Leonidas Demonstrates Successful Use of High-...13 Jan 2026 — The Leonidas HPM platform defeats fiber-optic guided drones...
Additional References
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Source: linkedin.com
Link: https://www.linkedin.com/top-content/technology/drone-defense-solutions/applications-of-hpm-in-counter-drone-systems/Source snippet
Applications of HPM in Counter-Drone SystemsBut when drone swarms attack critical infrastructure, electromagnetic... - High-power microw...
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Source: twz.com
Title: british high power microwave weapon successfully tested against drone swarms
Link: https://www.twz.com/news-features/british-high-power-microwave-weapon-successfully-tested-against-drone-swarmsSource snippet
The War ZoneBritish High-Power Microwave Weapon Successfully...17 Apr 2025 — Instead, high-frequency radio waves disrupt or damage criti...
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Source: nationaldefensemagazine.org
Title: counterdrone mission seen as killer app for directed energy
Link: https://www.nationaldefensemagazine.org/articles/2026/1/20/counterdrone-mission-seen-as-killer-app-for-directed-energySource snippet
Counter-UAS Mission Seen as Killer App for Directed EnergyJan 20, 2026 — High-powered microwaves can blast more energy at a drone or dron...
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Source: academia.edu
Link: https://www.academia.edu/56158112/Analysis_of_Electromagnetic_Pulse_Effects_Under_High_Power_Microwave_SourcesSource snippet
manent damage by radiating concentrated energy in a specific direction to...
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Source: securityanddefence.pl
Title: High power microwave for knocking out programmable suicide drones,135068,0,2
Link: https://securityanddefence.pl/High-power-microwave-for-knocking-out-programmable-suicide-drones%2C135068%2C0%2C2.htmlSource snippet
The HPM technique can be used to upset the electronics of suicide drones while...Read more...
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Source: aivon.com
Title: microwave weapons principles and applications
Link: https://www.aivon.com/blog/aerospace-electronics/microwave-weapons-principles-and-applications/Source snippet
Microwave Weapons: Principles and Applications20 Jan 2026 — Technical overview of microwaves, microwave weapons, and counter-UAS systems...
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Source: facebook.com
Link: https://www.facebook.com/unboxfactory/posts/the-us-military-has-successfully-tested-a-next-[generationSource snippet
iendly electronics, limiting its use near civilian infrastructure...
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Source: defencefinancemonitor.com
Title: non kinetic counter uas with high
Link: https://www.defencefinancemonitor.com/p/non-kinetic-counter-uas-with-highSource snippet
Non-Kinetic Counter-UAS with High Power Microwave8 Dec 2025 — HPM systems work by emitting powerful pulses of radiofrequency energy that...
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Source: facebook.com
Link: https://www.facebook.com/interestingengineering/posts/unlike-laser-based-systems-the-microwave-based-approach-can-engage-multiple-targ/1389544029883697/Source snippet
n exposed to high-power microwaves, potentially...
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Source: youtube.com
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fd7vm-YZqXYSource snippet
ThinKom Microwave Weapon: The Anti-Drone System That Fires Pure Energy...
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