Microwaves vs. Drones: How engineers are mastering electromagnetic weaponry.

The history of the microwave oven is quite unusual: it traces its roots back to radar production during the bloodiest conflict in human history - World War II.

The principle of radar operation is simple: the system emits electromagnetic waves that reflect off enemy objects and return. Thanks to an antenna and a couple of mathematical formulas, radar stations can determine the location, direction of movement, and approximate size of the object.

At that time, the power of radars was limited, so American and British engineers were tasked with inventing a device capable of generating short-wavelength waves with significantly greater strength. The result was the invention of the magnetron.

This invention transformed radar reconnaissance and made it more effective. After World War II, during testing, one of the engineers noticed that waves melted a chocolate bar in his pocket. It turned out that they cause water molecules to move and heat food. Thus, the first microwave oven was born.

80 years later, the microwave ovens themselves inspire engineers to develop new weapons. If a microwave can burn sandwiches, can it do the same to enemy drones or even personnel, if the electromagnetic waves are made powerful enough?

Defense companies around the world are seeking answers to this question.

How Microwave Weapons Work

Military forces would likely not be considering the development of lasers or combat microwaves if it weren't for the emergence of cheap kamikaze drones. Typically, aerial targets are shot down with expensive anti-aircraft missiles, but in a prolonged war, they will not suffice, as cheap drones can be produced by the thousands each month.

The cost of a strike drone can reach up to $200,000. Meanwhile, the price of an anti-aircraft missile for the IRIS-T system is over 1 million euros, and for the Patriot missile system, it's around 3 million euros.

Drones can be operated not only by military forces but also by, for example, terrorists. A vivid example is the Yemeni Houthis, who launch cheap UAVs at civilian and military vessels in the Red Sea. Therefore, developing protective measures poses a challenge for all armies worldwide.

The gap in the cost of attack and defense measures can be narrowed in two ways. The first is to develop alternative means of destroying aerial targets. A notable example is Ukraine's use of anti-aircraft FPV drones costing a few hundred dollars each.

The second method is to create a missile defense system that fundamentally does not require any munitions. Science suggests that this is possible. It involves so-called directed energy weapons. The idea is to damage the target with electromagnetic waves. This could be a directed beam of light, i.e., combat lasers, or strong microwave radiation.

Modern models of combat lasers can burn a hole in a target tens of kilometers away in seconds, with a cost of just a few cents per shot, disabling its electronics. However, numerous conditions complicate the mass implementation of this technology in the military.

Lasers require a powerful energy source nearby, a cooling system, and trained personnel for maintenance. Weather conditions must be clear, as fog disperses the beam. Such weapons can only target one object at a time, and their development is quite expensive even by Western company standards.