Directed-Energy Weapons Prioritized in New Defense Budget

Defense Secretary James Mattis outside the Pentagon on June 20, 2018 in Arlington, Virginia. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Directed-energy weapons (DEW) are being prioritized in the new defense budget, which could promote further development of sonic and electromagnetic weapons.

The FY2019 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) calls on the undersecretary of defense for research and engineering to “develop, establish, and coordinate directed-energy testing activities” that are “adequate” to ensure the Department of Defense meets its goals for “developing and deploying directed-energy systems to match national security needs.”