Weapons

The Pentagon Is Pouring $328 Million Into High-Tech Laser Weapons

The Pentagon's laser program is getting a big boost in funding this year, as military planners try to turn a long-held dream of science fiction writers into a combat-ready weapon that can swiftly knock down enemy drones, ships or vehicles.

The most recent defense spending bill, passed in December 2016, includes $328 million for developing and procuring "directed energy" weapons in 2017, a 51 percent increase over the previous year. That money will go to building more laser weapons that operate with a beam of concentrated light, as well as microwave and electromagnetic weapons that can knock out electronics or engines on an airplane, or even give enemies a powerful jolt without killing them.