The U.S. Army has reported a successful test off the coast of California of the “Hammer of the Gods” — a powerful electronic signal-scrambler designed to disrupt the navigation and communications equipment used by drones and enemy missiles.
The test, conducted in the Pacific Ocean this month as part of the Army’s Project Convergence Capstone 6 experiment, comes after earlier versions of the disruptor were demonstrated for land use over the past two years.
The sea-borne portion of the exercise marked the equipment’s first maritime use.
The growing use of drones and other cheap guided munitions has made designing electromagnetic tools such as the Hammer of the Gods, as it has come to be known, a top priority.
The experiment was a joint test conducted by the U.S. Army with support from U.S. Space Forces Pacific and Naval Base San Diego. The Army, Navy and Space Force collaboration successfully disrupted position, navigation and timing equipment known as PNT — systems that are critical for communications and targeting.
“Counter-PNT effects enhance lethality by impacting the backbone for pinpoint targeting via long-range artillery, guided missiles, and cruise munitions,” said Lt. Col. Darrin Hall, the chief for modeling, simulation and integration at U.S. Space Forces Pacific. “Without PNT data, modern weapon precision drops sharply, resulting in delayed missions, missed objectives or severe collateral damage.”
Hammer can reportedly jam signals that include GPS data and other methods of location that guided munitions and drones alike rely on. The device emits a signal that not only disrupts enemy equipment, but also provides expanded capabilities to U.S. forces, according to the Army’s release.
The Project Convergence Capstone 6 exercise consisted of more than 40 different technologies being tested by the U.S. Army in California over the last several weeks. Testing was overseen in large part by the U.S. Army’s Futures and Concepts Command.
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