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STATEMENT

Prototype uses high‑energy microwaves to temporarily stop small watercraft engines

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N/A (descriptive technical claim): the system operates by using high‑energy microwave/RF pulses to disable small watercraft motors.

Source summary
The DHS Science and Technology Directorate (S&T), working with the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) and the Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division (NAWCWD), has demonstrated a prototype Contactless Vessel Stopping Capability (CVSC) that uses high-energy radio frequency/microwave pulses to temporarily disable small watercraft engines. Tests at Naval Air Weapons Station (NAWS) China Lake in September and December showed repeated shutdowns of a tethered jet ski without permanent damage, with December improvements due to a fixed transmission cable and higher pulse repetition rate. S&T plans to refine power, range, and safety parameters in the next prototype and conduct follow-on demonstrations early next year.
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Latest fact check

The DHS Science and Technology Directorate’s January 13, 2026 feature article on the Contactless Vessel Stopping Capability (CVSC) states that the prototype "uses high energy microwaves to temporarily stop the motor inside of small watercraft, like jet skis." The article further explains that the system employs "highly energized radio frequency pulses" to overwhelm the vessel’s electronic circuits, shutting the engine down and allowing it to be restarted afterward, indicating a temporary, non‑permanent effect. This directly matches the claim that the CVSC prototype uses high‑energy microwaves (energized RF pulses) to temporarily disable the motor electronics of small craft such as jet skis. Therefore, the statement is accurate as written and aligns with DHS’s own technical description of the prototype’s operation.

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  1. Update · Jan 13, 2026, 08:34 PMTrue
    The DHS Science and Technology Directorate’s January 13, 2026 feature article on the Contactless Vessel Stopping Capability (CVSC) states that the prototype "uses high energy microwaves to temporarily stop the motor inside of small watercraft, like jet skis." The article further explains that the system employs "highly energized radio frequency pulses" to overwhelm the vessel’s electronic circuits, shutting the engine down and allowing it to be restarted afterward, indicating a temporary, non‑permanent effect. This directly matches the claim that the CVSC prototype uses high‑energy microwaves (energized RF pulses) to temporarily disable the motor electronics of small craft such as jet skis. Therefore, the statement is accurate as written and aligns with DHS’s own technical description of the prototype’s operation.
  2. Original article · Jan 13, 2026
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