Appendix A. Potential Advantages and Limitations
of Directed Energy Weapons
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This appendix provides additional information on potential advantages and limitations of High-
Energy Laser (HEL) and High-Powered Microwave (HPM) weapons. The advantages and limitations of any HEL or HPM weapons would be specific to the system as such, all advantages and limitations might not equally apply to each system.
Potential Advantages of HEL Weapons
In addition to deeper magazines, lower logistics requirements, and lower costs per shot, potential advantages of HEL weapons include the following
Fast engagement times. Light from a laser beam can reach a target almost instantly, thereby eliminating the need to calculate an intercept course, as interceptor missiles must do. By remaining focused on a particular spot on the target, a laser can cause disabling damage to the target within seconds, depending on the laser power. After disabling one target, a laser can be redirected to another target in several seconds.
Ability to counter radically maneuvering missiles. HEL weapons can follow and maintain their beam on radically maneuvering missiles that might stress the maneuvering capabilities of kinetic interceptors.
Precision engagements. HEL weapons are precision-engagement weapons—the area irradiated by the laser, which might be several millimeters to several inches in diameter, affects what it hits, while generally not affecting (at least not directly) separate nearby objects.
Graduated responses. HEL weapons can perform functions other than destroying targets, including detecting and monitoring targets and producing nonlethal effects, including reversible jamming of electro-optic (EO) sensors.
HELs offer the potential for graduated responses that range from warning targets to reversibly jamming their systems, to causing limited but not disabling damage as a further warning, and then finally causing disabling damage.
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