Pentagon Task Force Picks Four Directed‑Energy Systems for Homeland Counter‑Drone Pilot

Overview

• JIATF 401 announced on Monday, Oct. 5, 2026, that it has selected four commercial systems for a FY2026 NDAA-mandated pilot to test directed-energy weapons for homeland defense.
• The chosen systems are AeroVironment’s Palletized High-Energy Laser, Epirus’s Leonidas high-powered microwave, Kord’s Firefly high-energy laser, and Boeing’s Compact Laser weapon system.
• The pilot will deploy high-energy lasers (HEL) and high-powered microwaves (HPM) to select U.S. installations for operational testing of effectiveness, sustainment, cost and integration into existing defenses.
• The program will run in close coordination with the Federal Aviation Administration and U.S. Northern Command after an FAA live-fire assessment at White Sands found HEL posed minimal risk to the national airspace.
• A directed-energy 'shoot-off' at Dugway Proving Ground in December could add more systems to the evaluation and inform near-term buys and long-term acquisition choices, with lessons aimed at protecting border and domestic sites.