I 
116TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 3626 
To authorize the Secretary of Defense to carry out research, development, 
test, and evaluation activities, on a joint basis with the United Kingdom, 
to establish directed energy capabilities that address threats to the 
United States, deployed forces of the United States, or the United 
Kingdom, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JULY 5, 2019 
Mr. TED LIEU of California (for himself, Ms. STEFANIK, Mr. LANGEVIN, and 
Mr. LAMBORN) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Armed Services, and in addition to the Committee on For-
eign Affairs, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, 
in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the juris-
diction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To authorize the Secretary of Defense to carry out research, 
development, test, and evaluation activities, on a joint 
basis with the United Kingdom, to establish directed 
energy capabilities that address threats to the United 
States, deployed forces of the United States, or the 
United Kingdom, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
18:28 Jul 11, 2019
Jkt 089200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3626.IH
H3626
pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘United States-United 
Kingdom Directed Energy Cooperation Act’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds the following: 
(1) Directed energy platforms are electro-
magnetic systems capable of converting chemical or 
electrical energy to radiated energy and focusing it 
on a target, resulting in physical damage that de-
grades or neutralizes an adversarial capability. 
These systems include high-energy lasers that emit 
photons and high-power microwaves that release ra-
diofrequency waves. 
(2) Directed energy platforms hold enormous 
potential for non-lethal, defensive capabilities, in-
cluding protection against advanced missiles and 
swarms of unmanned aerial systems. 
(3) At a fraction of the per-use cost of kinetic 
defense platforms, directed energy capabilities could 
greatly enhance the deterrence posture of the United 
States and protect against emerging threats such as 
hypersonic and maneuverable missiles. 
(4) Collaboration between the United States 
and the United Kingdom on the development and 
application of directed energy weapon technologies 
can be traced back to 2010. The UK/US Directed 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
18:28 Jul 11, 2019
Jkt 089200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3626.IH
H3626
pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS
Energy Symposium was created under bilateral ex-
change agreements between the United States and 
the United Kingdom, covering topics such as high- 
energy lasers, modeling and simulation, and protec-
tion against high-power radio frequency weapons. 
(5) In response to technological advances and 
emerging threats, the United States has increased 
investments in next-generation directed energy capa-
bilities and is exploring the potential for boost-phase 
ballistic missile defense with the Low-Power Laser 
Demonstrator program. Existing programs within 
each service branch are developing technologies to 
protect members of the Armed Forces from rocket, 
artillery, mortar, and unmanned aerial systems. 
(6) In 2017, the United Kingdom’s Ministry of 
Defence awarded £30M to an international defense 
consortium to build a prototype for the Laser Di-
rected Energy Weapon (LDEW) Capability Demon-
strator. The air defense system will be capable of en-
gaging targets in land and maritime environments. 
(7) In 2017, the United Kingdom’s Minister for 
Defence Procurement Harriett Baldwin said, ‘‘The 
UK has long enjoyed a reputation as a world leader 
in innovation and it is truly ground-breaking 
projects like the Laser Directed Energy Weapon 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
18:28 Jul 11, 2019
Jkt 089200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3626.IH
H3626
pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS
which will keep this country ahead of the curve. The 
Defense Innovation Initiative and £800M Defense 
Innovation Fund aim to encourage imagination, in-
genuity and entrepreneurship, in pursuit of main-
taining a military advantage in the future.’’. 
(8) In 2018, while offering remarks at the Di-
rected Energy Summit, Undersecretary of Defense 
for Research and Engineering Michael Griffin ex-
pressed support for the United States partnering 
with allies to develop directed energy technologies. 
(9) In 2019, the United States Missile Defense 
Review highlighted the promise that high-powered 
laser technology holds for boost-phase ballistic mis-
sile defense. 
SEC. 3. UNITED STATES-UNITED KINGDOM DIRECTED EN-
ERGY CAPABILITIES COOPERATION. 
(a) AUTHORITY.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Defense, 
upon request of the United Kingdom’s Secretary of 
State for Defence and with the concurrence of the 
Secretary of State, is authorized to carry out re-
search, development, test, and evaluation activities, 
on a joint basis with the United Kingdom, to estab-
lish directed energy capabilities that address threats 
to the United States, deployed forces of the United 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
18:28 Jul 11, 2019
Jkt 089200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3626.IH
H3626
pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS