El Pent\u00e1gono (DoD \u2013 EEUU) avanza en sus planes futuros para integrar los Sistemas de\u00a0Armas de\u00a0Energ\u00eda Dirigida (DEW), en la infraestructura de Def Ae propia y de sus aliados. Las experiencias observadas en la invasi\u00f3n de Rusia a Ucrania en curso, ponen en evidencia la necesidad de disponer de DEW, para hacer frente a la creciente amenaza de todo tipo de UCAS \/ UAS, as\u00ed como cohetes, misiles y proyectiles de artiller\u00eda y morteros. Se prev\u00e9 incrementar notablemente el presupuesto espec\u00edfico en el \u00e1rea de DEW para el 2023 e incluso, el trabajo conjunto entre la Missile Defense Agency (MDA \u2013 USA) y la Israeli Missile Defense Organization, en proyectos de tecnolog\u00edas de DEW, que se consideran suficientemente maduras como para poder avanzar en su despliegue operacional en el corto y mediano plazo.<\/p>\n
WASHINGTON: House lawmakers on the Armed Services Committee want more information from the Pentagon about its future plans for integrating\u00a0directed energy weapons<\/a>\u00a0into its air defenses, and say the US should talk more with an allied nation making progress in the field: Israel.<\/p>\n The HASC\u2019s version of the\u00a0fiscal 2023 National Defense Authorization Act<\/a>\u00a0included several amendments aimed at bolstering US and allied air defenses against unmanned aerial systems, rockets, artillery and missile threats amid conflicts in Europe and the Middle East that lawmakers said highlight the need for strong air defenses.<\/p>\n \u201cThe committee believes that with recent Russian actions in Ukraine, ongoing efforts by Iran and Iranian proxies to use cruise missiles to destabilize and undermine regimes, and growing Chinese capabilities, air defense for the United States and our allies is an increasing priority,\u201d read an adopted amendment from Rep. Doug Lamborn, R-Colo. \u201cThis threat environment makes efforts to incorporate allied platforms, such as those with NATO and Israel, into future air defense architectures all the more important.\u201d<\/p>\n Lamborn\u2019s amendment noted that the committee \u201cbelieves that directed energy technology has matured to the point where it may be successfully deployed against current rocket, artillery, mortar, and cruise missile threats.\u201d<\/p>\n Therefore, it urged the services and Missile Defense Agency to work with the Israeli Missile Defense Organization on \u201cdevelopment and deployment\u201d of directed energy technology for missile defense. Israel is\u00a0developing Iron Beam<\/a>, a laser-based missile defense system among other laser-based capabilities.<\/p>\n The legislative language especially highlighted the US Army\u2019s efforts, including the service\u2019s Rapid Capabilities and Critical Technologies Office work in developing directed energy prototypes to defend against different sizes of drone threats, in addition to rocket, artillery and mortar threats. The office\u2019s Directed Energy Maneuver-Short Range Air Defense (DE SM-SHORAD) prototype was\u00a0tested<\/a>\u00a0against drones and mortars last year and\u00a0reportedly<\/a>\u00a0had some success, and the committee urged the Army to continue testing prototypes.<\/p>\n The committee requested that the Army\u2019s top acquisition official brief the committee on DE M-SHORAD\u2019s strategy to transition into a program of record, including development, testing and production schedule. Additionally, lawmakers wanted to know how the Army plans to integrate directed energy systems into its\u00a0Integrated Battle Command System<\/a>, another signature modernization platform that will provide improved command and control capabilities to commanders.<\/p>\n The committee also called out the importance of developing high power microwave (HPM) capabilities to defeat drone swarms. The Army recently completed a demonstration where HPM systems tackled swarms of small drones, with limited success. One adopted amendment \u201cencourages\u201d the Army to seriously consider HPM as part of layered air defense for fixed and semi-fixed sites.<\/p>\n The language, added by Rep. Robert Wittman, R-Va., directed the Army secretary to brief the committee on a strategy for developing and testing \u201cscalable, modular\u201d High Power Microwave systems that can detect and track small-UAS swarms and tie into the service\u2019s air defense battle command system.<\/p>\n \u201cThe threat posed by swarming sUAS grows\u00a0alongside the need to improve system dependability and defensive networking\u00a0capabilities,\u201d Wittman\u2019s amendment reads.<\/p>\n Lamborn\u2019s amendment would require the Missile Defense Agency director and service secretaries to brief lawmakers on expanding collaboration on air and missile defense architectures with allies, including Israel. More specifically, it also directs the Army to evaluate the interoperability of Israel\u2019s Iron Dome air defense system, which the service has tested, and brief the committee on any plans to use the Iron Dome system.<\/p>\n Another adopted amendment from Rep. Elaine Luria, D-Va., would require the defense secretary to brief the committee on the \u201ccurrent state\u201d counter-UAS capabilities of allies and partner forces in the Middle East. The report would require information about the cUAS capabilities and its impact on \u201cthe security of United States and allied forces in the region against UAS attacks, and the force protection requirements for the United States and allied forces, including air defense capabilities.\u201d<\/p>\n HASC passed its\u00a0$839 billion defense authorization bill<\/a>\u00a0out of committee in the early hours of Thursday.<\/p>\n