Not long ago, the American company Epirus announced the launch of the second generation "Leonidas" high-power microwave weapon, marking an important breakthrough in the practical application of the company's microwave weapons. This weapon, which uses strong electromagnetic pulses to instantly immobilize electronic devices, is disrupting traditional defense operations with disruptive "face to face" and almost zero cost methods, changing the form of future battlefields. The research on microwave weapons can be traced back to the period of World War II, as the core technology continues to evolve. At that time, German scientists attempted to use a large antenna to focus electromagnetic waves and destroy aircraft, laying the theoretical foundation for the research of directed energy weapons. During the Cold War, the US military's high-altitude nuclear explosion test accidentally discovered that electromagnetic pulses could cause electronic devices thousands of miles away to become paralyzed; During the same period, Soviet scientists also verified this phenomenon, revealing the enormous potential for weaponization of electromagnetic pulses. Afterwards, the United States and the Soviet Union launched secret projects to promote the experimental stage of microwave weapon research. From the 1970s and 1980s to the beginning of this century, countries such as the United States, the Soviet Union (Russia), and the United Kingdom successively made breakthroughs in high-power microwave sources, energy conversion, and beam control technology. The non nuclear explosive "explosive explosion compression magnetic flux" technology achieves the conversion of 5 million joules of microwave energy per kilogram of explosive, preliminarily solving the problem of energy portability; Technologies such as solid-state gallium nitride power amplifiers have improved beam focusing accuracy, enabling microwave weapons to form a certain radius of "electromagnetic killing surface". These technological breakthroughs have paved the way for microwave weapons to enter the battlefield. Since 2020, the development of microwave weapons has entered a period of technological explosion, represented by the "Leonidas" system, reflecting three major directions of advancement. Platform motorization. From the early bulky onboard container system to a highly modular design, the latest "Leonidas" expeditionary model can be carried by joint light tactical vehicles, reducing the system's weight and volume by nearly half, and can adapt to complex terrains for rapid deployment. Cost reduction. The single launch cost of the "Leonidas" system is only 5 cents, less than one ten thousandth of a missile, completely changing the cost pressure brought by swarm attack operations. Practical application of skills. In 2022, Epirus placed the "Leonidas" system on the "Stryker" tank and achieved the goal of blinding swarms of drones and unmanned boats by emitting high-power short pulse microwaves, verifying the multi domain defense capability of this weapon system. It can be seen that the development history of microwave weapons is actually an exploration history of precise energy control technology. On the electromagnetic battlefield, victory no longer depends on the yield of gunpowder, but on precise control of energy. The combat advantages are increasingly prominent. Microwave weapons, as an important branch of directed energy weapons, have demonstrated tremendous value in modern battlefields, especially in the field of anti drone operations, thanks to their unique combat advantages. Technological breakthroughs are the driving force behind its increased combat effectiveness. The new generation of microwave weapons achieves dual breakthroughs in power output and flexible pointing through the combination of solid-state RF technology and phased array antennas. The British "Fast Destroyer" microwave weapon system successfully destroyed two groups of drone swarms, totaling 100 drones, during the exercise; The US "Phaser" microwave weapon system has continuously shot down 33 drones in actual combat tests. Its beam can penetrate a simple electromagnetic shielding layer and is still effective against drones protected by aluminum foil; A Russian company plans to install high-power microwave weapons for drones to strike airborne electronic equipment, with an attack radius of tens of kilometers. The new generation of microwave weapons will also be used in shipborne layered defense systems. Currently, naval vessels are facing dual pressure from anti-ship missiles and drone swarms. Compared to traditional kinetic energy weapons that use point-to-point killing mode, high-power microwave weapons have surface to surface killing capability and can provide almost unlimited ammunition supply. The high-power microwave emitted by it can form a stable high-energy pulse coverage around the ship, rendering the guidance head of the incoming anti-ship missile ineffective. The key to using microwave weapons on ships is to properly address electromagnetic compatibility issues and avoid interference with the normal operation of the ship's radar system. In addition, in several regional conflicts in recent years, both sides of the conflict have used high-power microwave weapons to attack, interfere with, and damage the navigation equipment, radio communication systems, etc. of the opposing forces. This high-power microwave weapon is carried by missiles, and after flying over the target area, it interferes with electronic devices in the target area by releasing electromagnetic pulse energy, causing them to malfunction or burn out. In addition, microwave weapons are also used to provide efficient and economical end of pipe defense for key locations such as command centers, radar stations, airports, and ports. Effectively "controlling" electromagnetic energy microwave weapons is not only a powerful new type of equipment, but it will also fundamentally change the form of warfare, cost structure, and power balance. A major challenge faced by traditional air defense operations is cost asymmetry. A single anti-aircraft missile can cost tens of thousands or even millions of dollars, while the cost of intercepting small drones or patrol missiles may only be a few hundred or thousands of dollars. On the battlefield, the defense side is prone to the dilemma of "bankruptcy style defense". The emergence of microwave weapons may completely change this situation. The defense side has for the first time gained a cost advantage in sustainable combat when facing large-scale, low-cost swarm attacks, ending the dilemma of using traditional precision guided weapons such as "cannons to kill mosquitoes" and changing the logic of modern attrition warfare. The attribute of microwave weapons with both offensive and defensive capabilities makes them a key combat node on the battlefield. Microwave weapons can inflict soft/hard damage on enemy electronic warfare systems, rendering their command, control, communication, and intelligence systems paralyzed. In addition, it can also build active electromagnetic protection barriers, effectively intercept drones, missiles, and shells, and protect our key assets. Currently, the development of microwave weapons also faces challenges. Some people question whether drones can resist microwave weapon attacks by installing a simple metal protective layer; Some people also question the reliability and effectiveness of microwave weapons in complex mountainous, urban, or high-intensity electronic warfare environments. Faced with these challenges, the development of microwave weapon technology has never stopped, for example, by improving waveform design to enhance lethality. In addition, system miniaturization, algorithm optimization, and multi weapon system integration are key to addressing technological deficiencies, while practical validation and tactical innovation are important factors in promoting technological maturity. The development process of microwave weapons from construction to actual combat is also the process of human beings mastering electromagnetic energy technology. In the battle for "electromagnetic power" on the future battlefield, the development of microwave weapons will drive the direction of military technology competition on the battlefield. (New Society)