>The Army's newest operational laser weapon may be undergoing testing in the Middle East, but the top general responsible for U.S. troops in the region is already looking ahead to bigger and better directed-energy systems amid a rising tide of adversary drones. ... >The Defense Department is working on at least 31 directed-energy projects at the moment (and funding them to the tune of $1 billion a year, according to a 2023 report from the Government Accountability Office). However, only a handful of projects focus on employing high-powered microwaves.