ABSTRACT
Directed energy weapons describe a broad category of systems that create a range of possible kinetic and non-kinetic effects using a beam of energy. Like many military-relevant emerging technologies, development of directed energy systems has oscillated between periods of intense interest followed by periods of abandonment when systems fail to mature into practical battlefield capabilities. This chapter briefly introduces the different types of directed energy systems, from high-energy laser to high-power microwave weapons and their underlying technologies before focusing more concretely on the implications of high-energy laser systems. This is followed by a comparative analysis of directed energy weapons in the military doctrines of various countries, from the Cold War until the present. The current and future applications of high-energy laser directed energy weapons in warfare are presented by identifying potential operational thresholds for high-energy laser weapons against unmanned aerial vehicles, space assets and missile threats. The chapter concludes by discussing the implications of using high-energy laser directed energy weapons in these three areas.
