Since 2013, the U.S. Army have been testing a technology that they have been quiet about and have only recently declassified information for public consumption. The U.S. Army has revealed that they have a “Phaser” system that can be used to knock down a swarm of flying drones at the push of a button.

Apart from that, other vehicles that have integrated circuits can be disabled including cars and electronic devices. Other aerial vehicles are also much under threat with the Phaser.

Star Trek fans will be disappointed that this is not like the “Phaser” that they are used to watching and will not emit a “pew-pew-pew” sound. The Phaser is a high powered microwave radiation mounted on a 20-foot trailer and accompanied by radars such as the MPQ-64 Sentinel or Close Combat Tactical Radar that can detect and track targets and hand over the targeting data to the Phaser. When fired, the Phaser will emit microwave energy to the incoming threat, in this case, drones, frying their electronics and causing them to crash.

Unlike a laser which needs to be directed to one target at time, the Phaser can take down targets in one shot when they are in the path of the microwave energy beam, making quick work of multiple targets and thus drone swarms can be rendered ineffective quickly and turned to scrap heap.

It can be used against vehicles and as such checkpoints can find it useful in stopping cars without shooting its occupants or prevent a suicide car from reaching a checkpoint or its target. In terms of drones, the U.S. Army has tested this against some commercially available drones which can be acquired by terrorists. In the battle against ISIS, the terrorists have resorted to launching suicide drones that have already claimed casualties. The Phaser is the first line of defense to protect the troops on the ground against fast flying and small suicide drones.

There are still information kept secret such as its maximum power and range. Apart from taking down small drones and stopping cars, will it also be an effective air defense weapon that can take down military aircraft and even missiles?

Now, if you fly your DJI Phantom or any other cool drone near a military base, better watch out. It might get fried.

More on this at Aviation Week (subscription required).