The Air Force Research Lab’s Directed Energy Directorate wants to receive by Jan. 15 proposals for the Counter-electronics High-power Microwave Advanced Missile Project, an effort to develop a multi-shot and multi-target aerial high-power microwave weapon to attack electronic systems. AFRL issued the broad agency announcement in October as one means to address a combatant commander requirement for “additional military options against the variety of electronic systems that are used in military, industrial, civil, and asymmetrical applications.” Contractors are expected to produce five aerial demonstrators. AFRL estimates the demonstration program cost at around $40 million from Fiscal 2009 to 2012.
U.S. Southern Command recently announced its first lethal strike on a suspected narco-trafficking vessel in two months, and the first under a newly formed permanent counter-cartel task force. The U.S. is also reportedly planning to transfer MQ-9 drones to Colombia to bolster its counter-cartel efforts.