The Pentagon identified the soldier killed by an improvised explosive device on Oct. 4 in Nangarhar province, Afghanistan. SSgt. Adam S. Thomas, 31, was assigned to Company B, 2nd Battalion, 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne) at Fort Carson, Colo. Thomas was conducting a counterterrorism mission against ISIS alongside Afghan forces when the blast occurred. There were no other casualties. The incident is under investigation, according to the release.
A top Pentagon tech official called on industry this week to help the military develop “lighter, more efficient” directed energy weapons designed to go on aircraft and conduct special operations missions or down drones—areas where the Air Force’s directed energy efforts have been quiet as of late.