US Navy and USAF to Test High-Power Microwave Missile

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US Navy and USAF to Test High-Power Microwave Missile

The Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) and the Office of Naval Research are completing testing of an advanced, high-power microwave missile. The counter-electronic missile test which was developed in the last five years was carried out for two months at the Naval Air Station China Lake, California. The missile, known as the High-Powered Joint Electromagnetic Non-Kinetic Strike Weapon (HiJENKS), uses microwave technology to disable enemy electronic systems.

HiJENKS is the successor to the AFRL’s Advanced Counter-electronic High-Power Microwave Missile Project, which completed its testing a decade ago. In addition to developing HiJENKS, AFRL is also making progress on a more sophisticated version of the Tactical High Power Operational Responder (THOR) using HPM ( High-Power Microwave ) technology. This weapon is to disable swarms of drones that threaten military bases.

The next generation platform of this advanced missile is named Mjölnir , in honour of the hammer of the mythical god Thor. The AFRL awarded Leidos a $26 million contract in February to develop a prototype Mjölnir and deliver it by early 2024, Defense News wrote.