The NGAD program is exploring the integration of lasers and microwave weapons for active defense, made possible by a new generation of power generation.
Summary
The Next Generation Air Dominance program is not limited to a new fighter jet. It aims for a global technological breakthrough, in which directed energy weapons play a central role. Recent work on NGAP engines, capable of producing unprecedented levels of electrical power, paves the way for the integration of high-power lasers and high-energy microwave weapons. The goal is no longer just to increase offensive lethality, but to transform the survivability of the aircraft. The most fundamental idea is that of active “hard-kill” defense: physically destroying an incoming air-to-air missile with a laser beam, rather than attempting to deceive it with conventional countermeasures. This paradigm shift is based on solid scientific foundations, but raises major technical challenges: continuous power, thermal management, pointing accuracy, and tactical integration. If these obstacles are overcome, NGAD could redefine air superiority.
The strategic framework driving the shift towards directed energy
The evolution of airborne threats largely explains the growing interest in directed energy weapons in the NGAD program. Modern air-to-air missiles combine increased ranges, multi-sensor homing systems, and high resistance to countermeasures. Infrared decoys and electronic jamming remain useful, but their relative effectiveness is diminishing in the face of increasingly robust tracking algorithms.
In this context, passive defense is reaching its limits. Simply avoiding impact is no longer always sufficient when the adversary can fire multiple missiles in salvo, from different altitudes and axes. The US Air Force is therefore exploring a more radical approach: neutralizing the threat before it reaches its terminal phase. This logic explains the interest in Directed Energy Weapons, capable of engaging a target at the speed of light, without kinetic ammunition and with a potentially low cost per shot.
NGAD was designed from the outset as a system capable of absorbing this type of technology. Unlike existing aircraft, it is not constrained by legacy electrical architectures, which profoundly changes the equation.
The electric revolution driven by NGAP engines
At the heart of this transformation are the engines from the Next Generation Adaptive Propulsion program. These adaptive turbofans are not only distinguished by their propulsive efficiency. They are designed to provide much greater electrical power than current engines.
On a previous-generation fighter, the available electrical power is generally in the tens of kilowatts. Estimates associated with NGAP architectures suggest levels reaching several hundred kilowatts, or even more depending on the operating modes. This energy reserve makes it possible to consider systems that were previously incompatible with tactical combat aircraft.
This increased electrical production is inseparable from redesigned thermal management. Producing energy and then converting it into a laser beam or microwave wave generates considerable heat. NGAD therefore incorporates advanced cooling circuits into its design, using fuel, heat exchangers, and structural surfaces to dissipate several hundred kilowatts of heat without compromising stealth.
The physical principle of airborne combat lasers
A combat laser is based on a simple principle: concentrating coherent electromagnetic energy on a small surface area to cause rapid and destructive heating. In the case of an air-to-air missile, the objective is not necessarily to cause it to explode, but to damage a critical component.
At a distance of a few kilometers, a 100 to 300 kilowatt laser beam can locally heat the missile’s skin, weaken its control surfaces, blind its homing device, or cause structural failure. The illumination time required is measured in seconds, sometimes less if the aiming is accurate and stable.
Unlike conventional ammunition, lasers do not suffer from ballistic drop. The difficulty lies elsewhere: keeping the beam focused on a very fast, maneuvering target that is subject to atmospheric disturbances. Turbulence, humidity, and airborne particles can disperse the beam and reduce its effectiveness. At high altitudes, however, these effects are mitigated, which favors air-to-air use.
The concept of active hard-kill defense
The notion of active hard-kill defense marks a doctrinal break. Today, a fighter jet protects itself mainly by attempting to break the enemy’s lock or by deceiving the missile. With an onboard laser, it could theoretically physically destroy the threat.
The scenario envisaged is as follows: the aircraft’s sensors detect the missile launch, assess its trajectory, and transmit the data to the weapon system. The laser is then automatically pointed at the missile, with an angular accuracy of a few microradians. The beam is maintained on a specific point on the missile for long enough to cause a malfunction.
This approach has several advantages. It is repeatable, as long as energy is available. It reduces dependence on decoy stocks. It can also act earlier in the engagement, before the missile enters its most dangerous terminal phase.
High-power microwave weapons as a complement
High-power microwave weapons are another aspect of NGAD studies. Their principle differs from that of lasers. Instead of heating a surface, they emit an electromagnetic pulse capable of disrupting or destroying a target’s onboard electronics.
When faced with a modern missile, a well-calibrated microwave pulse can cause calculation errors, untimely restarts, or loss of control. The main advantage is pointing tolerance. The microwave beam is less narrow than a laser, making it easier to engage multiple or poorly located targets.
On the other hand, effectiveness depends heavily on the missile’s electromagnetic shielding. The latest weapons already incorporate increased protection, which limits range and effect. In the NGAD architecture, microwaves are therefore seen as a complement to, rather than a substitute for, lasers.
Integration constraints on a stealth aircraft
Integrating directed energy weapons on a stealth aircraft requires severe compromises. The openings required for beam emission must be compatible with radar and infrared stealth. The laser optics must remain clean, cooled, and protected from external damage.
The weight of the system is another challenge. A high-power onboard laser includes not only the emitter, but also electrical conversion modules, buffer batteries, cooling systems, and pointing mechanisms. Every kilogram added is a kilogram that cannot be used for fuel or weapons.
Finally, reliability is critical. A weapon of this type must operate in an extremely vibratory environment, at supersonic speeds, with significant pressure and temperature variations. Tolerance margins are low, and the slightest defect can compromise the entire system.
Expected performance and operational limitations
Expectations for NGAD lasers are high, but realistic. It is not a question of imagining an invulnerable bubble around the aircraft. Effective ranges will remain limited, probably in the order of a few kilometers. Multiple engagements will pose power and time management problems.
However, even partial capability can have a major strategic impact. Forcing an adversary to fire more missiles to saturate an active defense increases its cost and reduces its freedom of action. Furthermore, the mere uncertainty about the effectiveness of a shot can change tactical behavior.
It is also likely that these systems will be reserved primarily for critical missions, where the value of the platform justifies the technological investment. NGAD is not designed as a mass fighter, but as a central node around which other effectors, piloted or unpiloted, are organized.
Medium-term challenges for air superiority
The integration of directed energy weapons into NGAD reflects a clear vision: future air superiority will depend as much on energy management as on maneuverability or stealth. Whoever masters the production, storage, and use of energy on board will have a decisive advantage.
Many challenges remain, and the timelines are ambitious. It will be necessary to demonstrate that these weapons function reliably, under realistic conditions, in the face of evolving threats. It will also be necessary to accept that the adversary will develop countermeasures, whether material or tactical.
If NGAD succeeds in realizing this vision, the onboard laser will not be a technological curiosity, but a structuring tool. It will symbolize a profound shift: air defense will no longer be just a matter of missiles against missiles, but of controlled energy power, projected with precision into the heart of combat.
Sources
Air & Space Forces Magazine, analyses on NGAD and Directed Energy
Congressional Research Service, reports on NGAD and related technologies
US Air Force Research Laboratory, publications on High Energy Lasers
Department of the Air Force, NGAD and NGAP planning documents
War Wings Daily is an independant magazine.