Potential Limitations of HPM Weapons Potential limitations of HPM weapons include the following Range constraints. Because HPM beams are more diffuse than lasers and cannot be as tightly focused, the energy per unit area in HPM beams decreases significantly over distance This could limit the range at which HPM weapons are operationally effective. Potential for fratricide. Because HPM weapons could affect all unshielded electronic systems within range, measures must betaken to ensure that friendly systems are properly shielded or kept outside of the weapon’s range when the weapon is in use. Effectiveness of countermeasures. Because electromagnetic radiation can be absorbed by shielding, HPM weapons may not be effective against shielded targets. 89 Antipersonnel HPM weapons could not, however, discriminate between military personnel and civilians and could therefore impact civilians within the weapon’s electromagnetic cone. Similarly, HPM weapons used against military electronic equipment could disable unshielded civilian equipment. 90 Mark Gunzinger and Chris Dougherty, Changing the Game The Promise of Directed-Energy Weapons, Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments, April 19, 2021, pat https://csbaonline.org/uploads/documents/ CSBA_ChangingTheGame_ereader.pdf.
Department of Defense Directed Energy Weapons Background and Issues for Congress Congressional Research Service 22
