1 Dec 2021

AFRL’s drone killer THOR wins Popular Science ‘Best of’ award

Each year, Popular Science reviews thousands of new products and innovations, to choose the top 100 winners across 10 categories. To win, the technology must represent a significant advancement in its category.

2 Aug 2021

AFRL’s drone killer, THOR will welcome new drone “hammer”

The Air Force Research Laboratory’s Directed Energy Directorate is seeking partners to build a new counter electronics weapon system, to defend against the ever increasing threat of adversarial drone activity.

16 Jun 2021

AFRL’s THOR hammers drones in new video animation

The Air Force Research Laboratory has created a new video animation that realistically depicts a Tactical High-power Operational Responder, or THOR, destroying swarms of enemy drones in a base defense scenario.

23 Feb 2021

Army partners with Air Force’s THOR for base defense

THOR is a prototype directed energy weapon used to disable the electronics in drones, and specifically engineered to counter multiple targets – such as a drone swarm – with rapid results. The technology is housed in a 20-foot-long shipping container that can be stowed in a military cargo plane and assembled by just two people.

22 May 2019

Inspiring speakers, technologies welcome attendees to AFRL Inspire, Tech Expo

Sponsored by AFRL’s Learning Office, Inspire showcases the innovative ideas and passionate people AFRL has to offer as they provide entertaining and thought-provoking talks.

24 Oct 2018

Weather data pilot includes Hurricane Michael

A prototype project providing the Air Force access to commercial weather data began Oct. 1, nine days before Hurricane Michael devastated the Florida Panhandle. The prototype is managed at Hanscom Air Force Base, Massachusetts.

6 Dec 2017

25th OWS Science and Training Team awarded Thor’s Hammer Trophy

The 25th Operational Weather Squadron Science and Training Team channeled the spirit of the ancient god as they won the inaugural Thor’s Legions Forecast Challenge and received the Thor’s hammer trophy from Lt. Gen. Mark Nowland, Air Force deputy chief of staff for operations, at the Pentagon in Arlington, Va., Dec. 6, 2017.

28 Nov 2017

Yesterday’s Air Force: ICBM evolution

FORT GEORGE G. MEADE, Md. (AFNS) – This episode of Yesterday’s Air Force looks at the evolution of

16 Oct 2017

Air Force Tech Report: Thor Weather System

FORT GEORGE G. MEADE, Md. (AFNS) – The latest step in a long-running weather prediction arms race

31 Aug 2017

Supercomputing weather with ‘Thor’

The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center at Hanscom Air Force Base acquired a supercomputer that is the latest step in a long-running weather prediction arms race.

9 Aug 2013

Historic airpower database now online

More than eight years in the making, a new database containing information from U.S. military and coalition aerial bombing campaigns over the last century is now publicly available online.