Directed Energy Weapon (DEW)
A directed energy weapon (DEW) damages or disables a target with concentrated energy instead of a physical projectile. The main types are high energy lasers, which heat a target until it fails, and high-power microwaves, which overload and burn out electronic circuits. Particle beam weapons exist mostly in research labs.
Militaries want them because each shot costs very little compared with an interceptor missile. The supply of shots is limited by power and cooling rather than ammunition. In 2026 laser systems were used against attack drones in combat. Their weaknesses are real: weather, smoke and dust weaken the beam, the target must stay in line of sight, and the beam has to stay on target for several seconds.
Preppers meet the term in news about drone defense and in talk of how modern conflict could reach the electronics a family relies on at home. To see where directed energy weapons sit among today's defense systems, and what they mean for your preparedness, read our guide to US military technology.
