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In the fast-paced world of continuing American supremacy, it’s easy to forget that the United States is not the world’s only military power. From Vietnam to Somalia to Iraq itself, we see that while American soldiers do fall, they always do so in far smaller numbers than their comparatively primitive adversaries. As such, it might seem odd to develop vehicle-mounted laser platforms for shooting down advanced aerial drones — how’s that going to help you against the low-tech strategies of Al-Qaeda, ISIS, and others? But remember that the United States is in the midst of an arms race every bit as close as that of the Cold War — one that could be far more difficult to win long-term.

Mounting weaponized lasers on Humvees is a more difficult proposition than it might at first seem. The world’s first drone-killing laser made its (public) debut in 2012, but its power source was so large that it needed to be mounted on an enormous battleship in order to operate. Though we don’t yet know anything of the specific engineering breakthroughs that allow such extreme miniaturization, we do know that this laser is both smaller and partially powered by fossil fuels via the turning of vehicle’s own drive train. It should be able to output 30 kilowatts of power when stationary with the engine running, and 10 kilowatts while on the move. (For perspective, the ship-mounted version of this technology outputs something like 50 kilowatts.) The laser could could charge to 80% power in just 20 minutes, though the final 20% of charge will take much longer.

This nonlethal microwave "pain" emitter was the closest to a vehicle-mounted laser, until now.

This nonlethal microwave “pain” emitter was the closest to a vehicle-mounted laser, until now.

Weaponized lasers of this type work in bursts, essentially burning away a thin layer of drone hull, waiting to allow the aerosolized metal to clear, then burrowing another layer down; rinse and repeat maybe 50 times in a millisecond, and you can down even very advanced drone technology. The ship-mounted ADAM laser mentioned earlier has now also been demonstrated against small ships, too. Fitted to a fast-moving vehicle, this 400-pound weapon could bring viable drone-defense almost anywhere in the world. [Read: The science of beam weapons.]

Now, you might be thinking: quadcopter technology is becoming cheaper and more easily available, so couldn’t this be a move to shoot down $500 surveillance or bomb-delivery fliers? The answer lies in altitude: for the most part, if an insurgent group has access to it, conventional weapons can kill it. You only need  lasers when you’re shooting at a target that’s too far and/or fast-moving to hit with flying chunks of metal. Note that this technology is perfectly suited to missile defence systems; I don’t care how fast your ICBM is, it can’t outrun photons.

Here’s an older video of a drone being shot down mid-flight.

This sort of technology shows the second of America’s two major ongoing military conflicts. One is the global War on Terror, and the other is the global war on anyone who might even for a second think they can rival American power. One is about winning encounters, the other is about preventing them from happening in the first place. The Rand Corporation released a report showing that more than 20 countries are currently working on military UAVs, and while many are NATO allies like the UK, many others are not so friendly to Western aspirations. Russia, Iran, Pakistan, and yes, even China, are all working to create their own military UAVs.

Above: Yellow countries have acquired drones. Below: Yellow countries are known to be developing new drone tech.


What makes this such a daunting prospect is that drone tech is not a perfect proxy for nuclear weapons. Nukes were the last great military MacGuffin in the Cold War, but their spread was hampered by the incredible feats of engineering needed to actually create them. While there were certainly nuke-geniuses making a difference on both sides of the Iron Curtain, drone tech is much, much more open to advancement by a particularly inspired team or individual. At a time when military power and technological sophistication are basically the exact same thing, that means a country could become a real world player with nothing more than some particularly gifted engineers — no centrifuges, uranium stockpiles, or KGB insiders required. Throw in some advanced AI that allows the drones to launch missiles intelligently and autonomously and you have a pretty daunting weapon of war.

If you don’t believe that technology and power are one and the same thing these days, consider that basically all fear of North Korea is based on its few rinky-dink satellites and mostly broken ICBMs, not on the fact that it technically maintains the largest standing army in the world. For the past five years, drones have basically defined American military action outside of Iraq and Afghanistan, and countries like China are well on their way to developing that power for themselves. White House strategists are increasingly looking for ways to make sure past American successes aren’t revisited on the country’s own troops.

Paradoxically, drone tech has both increased American military capabilities and made those capabilities more attainable by the country’s rivals. Even private corporations like Google and Facebook are investing in drone tech, showing how low the barrier to entry has become. The US may very well find itself making each step forward into a two-stage operation: first to create a new technological advantage, and the other to render the last breakthrough obsolete.


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  • Kompani

    US deploys Humvees with drone-killing lasers: Will the global arms race ever stop?

    What global arms race? Who is racing against America? No one!!

    It is the massive military arms industry lobbyists and American paranoia for anything ‘other’ that love wars. It is the perfect profit machine for conservative capitalists.

    Fact: America has been in a state of conflict, somewhere in the world, every single day since 1944.

    • David K.

      And this is different than just about every other nation… how? Let’s see…

      Britain is in a conflict with the IRA and various actors in the Middle East
      Japan and N. Korea hate each other. China, too.
      Russia has a hard on for the Baltic States and has had it for decades.
      Iran hates everyone.

      Fact: People who single out America with respect to war and conflict just hate America. (And, btw, that includes those of her citizens who are oikophobic).

      • Dozerman

        This so much. The problem is how sheltered westerners have become.

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      • Kompani

        David K. The reason I point out America is because (a) this article is about the US and (b) America spends, by a factor of almost 3, more on its military than any other country on earth (36.6% share of the worlds spending on the military);

        The UK, EU, China, Russia etc., or any other country is not blameless at all but in sheer vastness of spending, countries active, people killed, soldiers sacrificed America takes the biscuit by any measure.

        • Mikeman

          Ever heard of Biafran War?
          Remind me again who fought in this war and how many people were killed?

          • Kompani

            Britain has fought, won and lost many wars over the past thousand plus years. In my opinion many of them have been right and many wrong, particularly towards the end of the 20th and into the 21st century.
            I am prepared to look at the facts and, when necessary, hold my hands up and say ‘I think this war is or was wrong’. I do not allow dogma or ideology to affect that view if I can possibly avoid it.
            I was in the former Yugoslavia following that conflict, as a civilian, and talked to many who had taken part. It is a sobering thing to do (and I’m not saying Serbia was right). Last year I was in Thailand and heard first hand, from red & yellow shirts, about the problems there leading to Marshal Law being declared.
            War does not solve anything, look around the planet, it just pisses people off ready for the next conflict and round of deaths on all sides – no one wins.

          • Damon

            I do agree wholeheartedly with your last paragraph.

          • Mikeman

            OK, all this is nice and cute.
            But I believe I gave you an example of a war in the POST WWII era in which America wasn’t involved and that was in fact the bloodiest war in the last 60 years.
            How does this fit in your world view with evil America killing people all around the world?
            And regarding the war doesn’t solve anything attitude, sure I can remember a few people in Britain who had the same attitude in 1939.
            If I remember correctly, that didn’t work out so well.

          • Kompani

            I did not state that America was involved in every war across the planet. If I did please point it out to me.

            I fully acknowledge that Britain has been involved in atrocities in Africa, we’re taught that in High School.

            I fully acknowledge that Britain has had its share of indefensible wars, we’re also taught that in High School.

            I will not give you an American history lesson about Vietnam 1975 (I studied this war at University), Cuba 1961 (USA organised), Somalia 1992/3 (USA Led), Afghanistan and yes, Britain also lost in Afghanistan too. In fact everyone lost.

            As for the totally unjustified invasion of Iraq, 2003, based on no WMD, no Al Qaeda, no inter continental missiles, no threat to the USA according to the various government ‘inquests’ after the event.

            War, for whatever reason is terrible. I applaud your defence of your countries military. I too am proud of the British military but I also accept that there is always a cost, not just financial, to pay for going to war and sometimes that cost is too high especially if parts of ones own population are in need.

          • Mikeman

            “Iin sheer vastness of spending, countries active, people killed, soldiers sacrificed America takes the biscuit by any measure” that is a quote from your words.
            Correct me if I am wrong, but I believe this means that America somehow was involved in more wars then others and these wars (in total) took more human lives.
            I just brought an example of war in which America was not involved (and neither was Britain for that matter at least not directly).This war was a civilian war among tribes in Africa and this war was the bloodiest war since WWII.
            I can bring more examples of war in Africa in which America wasn’t involved militarily and which also caused millions of casualties.
            Now I will repeat my question,How does this fit in your world view with evil America killing people all around the world?
            I believe that we just established that the “poor and oppressed” Africans are no better then America and Britain, haven’t we?
            And just to clarify, I am not an American, I am Israeli and if it makes you happy I despise Britain more then I do America (though I despise both) for what you did to my people in WWII (pacifists like you ) and for British government breaking its own promises to my people.
            One thing you got right, I am proud of my military, but its Israeli military.

          • Kompani

            I can say America was involved in no wars in Australia, China, India and most parts of Africa. Again I did not claim that every war on the planet had America as one of it’s combatants. I also used the term conflict and not war.
            A list of some countries post WW2;
            A list of wars involving the USA (please ignore the pre WW2 wars);
            If you then check the total body count associated with these conflicts I think you will find it to be extremely high.

            As you are Israeli then you have every right to hate the British, as has most of the middle east. My father was with the British army in Palestine from 1946 to 1948 so I have an understanding of the situation/issues and have read extensively on the history and politics of the mid-east. My cousin is a personal advisor to our Governments Foreign Office on Middle East affairs. If I have caused offence by attributing you with an incorrect country then I apologise.

          • Mikeman

            I don’t deny the fact that America was involved in many wars as one of the two superpowers of the cold war era.
            Regarding number of casualties, it is hard to tell as we don’t have precise numbers.
            I would argue that African tribal wars in the post WWII era take the crown both in number of casualties and in brutality towards civilian population.
            My point is, that America is just like everyone else only bigger.
            Britain in my opinion is just as guilty in most conflicts going on around the world right now (India Pakistan,many wars in Africa and most wars in the Middle East).
            Also guilty are China (heavily involved in Africa),former Soviet Union/Russia and EU countries (France for instance has been involved in many wars in Africa as well) and I won’t even mention atrocities committed by the “enlightened” Belgians in Kongo.
            And no need to apologize.
            I would like to take it as a compliment addressed at my good English :)

        • Damon

          While america Spends “more” on its military than any other nation in dollars, its actually a fair way down the list when you look at military expenditures as a fraction of GDP. the USA spends more in currency because it has one of the largest economies, but most of the worlds top powers spend as much or more of a percentage of GDP. Heck, Most of your middle eastern Countries spend 2 to 4 TIMES as much of thier given money on the military as the USA…

          • Kompani

            Damon; The USA is in 3rd place on %GDP of the 15 top military spenders in 2013 and it was joint 8th, with Russia, in 2012. This means that the USA has moved up the table from 8th to 3rd as a percentage of GDP spending for the top 15 countries.

            If you analyse the 2013 list you will see that the countries that spend more, as a percentage of GDP, than the USA are Saudia Arabia, a unitary Islamic absolute monarchy, and the UAE, a federal presidential constitutional monarchy. Both countries where the population have no direct or indirect say in what happens in their own country.

          • Damon

            Fari enough, the point i was trying to make is that while it is the largest number, it’s not entirely disproportionate. The recent spike in %GDP stems partially from replaceing ageing fleets of both aircraft and seacraft.

          • Kompani

            I’m sure other countries also replaced some of their military hardware during 2013, I believe China purchased a submarine and aircraft carrier (?) but I understand your point.

          • David K.

            According to the Wikipedia article, the world average as a percent of GDP is between 2.4 and 2.5%. As a percent of GDP, America’s military spending is between 3.4% and 4.4%. Depending on which list you go by that puts America’s military spending as a percent of GDP somewhere between 4th place (not 3rd) behind Saudi Arabia, UAE, and *Russia* (which you conveniently forgot)…. and 8th place… behind a bunch of other countries.

            America has a robust economy and can afford a large military. She protects her people and the economy with that military – and rightfully so.

            Again… there are some people who just hate America. Facts be damned.

          • Kompani

            I assume you are aware that the two lists are from separate years i.e. 2012 and 2013!!
            As I said – The USA is in 3rd place on %GDP of the 15 top military spenders in **2013** and it was joint 8th, with Russia, in **2012**.

          • David K.

            First, I don’t know if you’re being willfully ignorant or just can’t read. But, according to the link… the same link we’re both talking about… in 2013 America was fourth (3.8%) – NOT third – in spending as percent of GDP. Behind Saudi Arabia (9.3%), UAE (4.7%) and Russia (4.1%).

            Secondly, despite the anti-American rhetoric, no one in America is without healthcare, food or homes. We have one of the largest social safety nets in the world. Even before Obamacare there were free clinics and subsidized emergency care in all major cities for healthcare, pantries and food stamps for food, short term shelters and subsidized housing for those that can’t afford a home. We even provided cash assistance for those who are disabled and can’t work.

            Now, I’m not going to say these accommodations are the best. The wait times at the clinics can be long, you can’t buy certain things with food stamps and won’t be able to afford lobster and the housing is usually dormitory style or in less desirable neighborhoods.

            But I challenge you to show me one country whose government provides private doctors, mansions and gourmet dinners to those who can’t or don’t work.

            There are none. In fact, most chronically unemployed people in America can actually afford cable, internet and smartphones. What other country DOES that!?

            So, do me a favor, stop trying to convince the world you don’t hate America. You do. And that hate stems from one place – jealousy.

          • Kompani

            I bow to your superior knowledge and apologies profusely at getting the USA 1 place wrong out of 15 places.

            I’ll leave you with this to discuss with yourself;

            US Health System Ranks Last Among Eleven Countries on Measures of Access, Equity, Quality, Efficiency, and Healthy Lives


          • David K.

            Wait… so you get it wrong and try to make America sound worse than she is…. and this is somehow MY fault!? Are you seriously sarcastically claiming that *I’m* the arrogant one here?

            And, yes, I’ve seen the Commonweath Fund statistics. Out of 11 countries, American is last. Dead last. And, guess what? There are almost 200 countries in the world. So, in the proper context, America is 11th out of 200. Yay America!

            Moreover, it’s worth noting… according to YOUR OWN statistics.. that Canada is in 10th place. Second to last. And… guess what? Canada has UNIVERSAL HEALTHCARE. Duhhhhhh.

            Gee… you claim not to hate America. But you seem very willing to go out of your way to find (easily debunked) statistics trying (unsuccessfully) to put American in a bad light.

            And, by the way, those statistics don’t speak to food and housing. Just so we’re clear.

      • qv

        Japan and N. Korea are neighbours.So are Israel and Palestine. So are India and Pakistan. I never heard of China having military issues with Brazil, or South Africa getting it on with New Zealand.

        Please explain why a bunch of assholes who neighbour Canada, Mexico and 2 oceans feel the need to kill women and children on the other end of the earth.

        PS. Iran does not hate everyone. A look at Iran’s relations with foreign countries should clarify this. But I do understand why an American assumes his country is “everyone” and “everything”.

        • David K.

          What does being neighbors have to do with anything? You don’t seem to have a very deep knowledge of international politics or foreign policy.

          Moreover, Canada… Britain… and a whole host of other countries contribute troops on the ground in countries far away. And Japan is separated from North Korea by a big fricken sea… the Sea of Japan.

          So I have no idea what you’re talking about. As for Iran… yeah, they hate everyone.

    • Korios

      If enemies do not exist the war machine will invent them. It has to invent them to continue being massively funded.

  • powerwiz

    Will the global arms race ever end? No it never has and never will. At its core mankind is still the same group of people we were thousands of years ago. All that has changed are our tools. Only the pie in the sky fools believe otherwise.

    • Korios

      This is a myth, an unproven axiom. People are not born aggressive, they are made aggressive. Without money to profit from war there would be no war, only some sporadic minor battles, stemming from the nurtured aggression.

      • powerwiz

        Really? I joined the United States Marine Corp and stayed in for 10 years so I could blow shit up. Have you seen the salaries? Best time I ever had. I was there for the invasion of Afghan and the liberation of Iraq. Let me tell you it was thrilling, espcially when you get shot and and live. As for your business ideology…I do not own a business.

        • XenoSilvano

          It’d be nice if we could stick all the bloodthirsty psychopaths into a deep pit where they can kill the #### out of each-other, leaving the rest of us the #### alone.

  • Korios

    The only reason war still exists is money and resources, specifically paper money with no inherent value to control and buy these resources. As long as there is money there will also be war. War is business, nothing more, nothing less.

    • mint

      war is part of human nature. you fight wars with your friends and your spouse. nations fight wars. people fight about money most of the time but also for chicks, and other things. war will always exist here.

      • Kompani

        You have arguments, differences of opinion and discussions with your friends.
        If you had ‘wars’ with your friends, all your friends would be dead.
        That’s the difference between civilised and barbaric, that’s where we have all gone wrong.

    • kroozin

      I think war still exists because humans still exist.
      No humans = no wars right?
      Anyway, wars are nothing more than evolution playing itself out. The fittest will survive – no need to shed tears over this right?
      I kinda like what mint says. :)

  • Dozerman

    It’s easy to say that America is overreaching it’s bounds by developing new war tech, but if you were in the same position, wouldn’t you do the same thing?

    • Graham Templeton

      I probably would, though my use of the drones we developed would be a little different. ;)

  • . .

    Laser cannon envy; it’s a guy thing Hillary gets.

  • Ivor O’Connor

    Now we can go enforce freedom in more countries and be greeted with flowers and hugs.

  • dc

    In 2012 the USA did not have any battleships, and hasn’t since the mid-90s. The laser was mounted either on a destroyer or cruiser, not an enormous battleship.

    I see these lasers as a complete waste of money. The Izzies have a much better and simpler system called Trophy which basically fires a giant shotgun like device at incoming projectiles. It’s cheaper, more reliable and has been tested.

  • XenoSilvano

    Johan Gultang claims that The American Empire… *clear throat*, The United States of America is repeating the same mistakes of previously failed empires, he also predicts that it will collapse in 2020.

    I just thought that was an interesting titbit of information to share.

    • XenoSilvano

      The world’s empire, blinded by its self-believed exceptionalism, begins to lash out violently in an attempt to take the world with it like some dying animal who is far too reluctant and proud to come to terms with its inevitable fate… is finally vanquished!

      Bring your pop-corn because this is going to be ####### EPIC!

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  • boom

    Despite all this technology, the rapists and mass murderers that make up the US Armed Forces, always get their asses kicked by their “primitive adversaries”. When was the last time you won a real war? Iraq – Nope. Afghanistan – Nope. Vietnam – Nope. Korea – Nope.

    Getting your ass kicked by tiny, backward nations while proclaiming yourself to be the greatest in the world. Typical Americans. Go ahead and fire up that laser, you’ll ultimately lose to a bunch of cave dwelling whackjobs anyway.

    • prototype01958Kevin

      It is only because of politics and modern niceties that we do not win and win quickly. The full power of the USA has not been released on anybody since Japan. If those “backward nations” as you call them had the power of the USA they would try to take over the world and kill millions to force them to whatever. It is the opposite for the USA people. We want the world to be rich, successful, free and peaceful. That is what we want to force others to be; so yes we are evil, bad forcer poop heads. Look at what we do with land that we could have taken; we give it back, help them build and become good friends. We, as a nation, make much more money trading with friends than selling arms to crazies. Yes, companies around the world make profit on war, but that is not what America is about. See Tocqueville.
      The technology of today is used to destroy less and pick off bad guys. Alas, war is still war and usually an error, but most Americans not do it with evil intent.
      There are no doubt some rapist and murders in the U.S. military, probably about the same percentage as most young male warrior populations throughout history. Study the training of U.S. military and you would see that great pain is gone through to stop such behavior.
      America is perhaps too good for our own good sometimes and some would have us wipe the enemies off the map at the push of a button, as we could. Thank God we do not.

    • PanchoVilla5000

      sure native land will always be defended by its people and its their land they will always win against the USA like Vietnam Iraq korea, but if you are talking about a body count—the performance of those countries freedom fighters is embarrassing

  • prototype01958Kevin

    Stay strong America.

  • prototype01958Kevin

    The arms race will end in a gray goo of self-replicating-carbon-eating-nanobots.

    • XenoSilvano

      With the suspicious reorientation currently taking place throughout the US Military, you know it has some sort of secret weapon hidden up its sleeves that most people aren’t even aware about that would make nuclear weapons look dated.